he other day I glanced at my calendar and it suddenly hit me—Of Ages Past Magazine is nearing its first birthday. Though the magazine made its debut January 1, 1999, the initial idea for the website had been playing havoc in my head for weeks, even months, prior to that.
As many of my colleagues know, the reason I started this magazine is to thumb my nose to all of the powers in the publishing industry who proclaimed (with smug smiles on their greedy faces, I might add) that historical fiction has no market, no future, no nothing in the industry, since no one wants to read about our ancestors. They only want to read the next offering by Danielle Steele or Stephen King. Needless to say, I took umbrage at this naïve statement, and countless others I encountered in a similar vein. To me, it became nothing less than a dare to prove these naysayers wrong, to prove to the industry that Historical Fiction will never lose its supportive and hungry audience, despite the claims of the higher-ups. I readily admit, it was the Confederate Rebel within me, but so be it . . . someone had to stand for the cause and rally forth the troops. Now, looking back over the months that Of Ages Past has been online, Im wondering whether I have accomplished my goal . . . have I truly shown that historical fiction does have a market in todays highly-competitive publishing world? Correct me if Im wrong, but I say I have indeed proven my case that the market is craving tales of our ancestors. What facts do I have . . . ? Well, not only do contributing authors continue to pound at my door with well-crafted offerings in their hands for all to enjoy, but major publishing companies have approached Of Ages Past seeking book reviews for their latest releases. Readership continues to grow, thanks to Yahoo and other search-engines on the net. Publishing companies have studied the work in this magazine to find up-and-coming wordsmiths, and (from personal knowledge) have offered contracts to several of our contributors based on the work theyve spotted at the site. Major writers market books have asked to list the magazine in their guides for the new millenium. And the magazine has chalked up countless awards from people who seem to agree that the site (and the cause) is worthy of recognition. Not a bad achievement for being online only 10 months, if I do say so myself. Yes, no matter how the industry gurus look upon it, Historical Fiction is indeed healthy and thriving. Certainly, there have been several despicable cretins along the way who have tried to toss the proverbial monkey-wrench into the mix, attempting to stir the waters of dissension amongst the devotees, but the loyal followers of this wonderful, soul-stirring genre (the color-guard, if you will) have done more than their share to keep the Historical banner flying, and for that I am forever grateful. So, you might be asking yourself, to where is his insufferable rambling leading? Well, unfortunately, it leads to a road that, for several months, I have sadly seen coming, but only recently have admitted its close proximity. Therefore, it is with vast regret, yet (in truth) considerable relief, that Ive made the following decision— As of this coming January, Of Ages Past will cease being a monthly publication. I know, I know, I know, some of you loyal followers will not welcome this decision. But, alas, there is nothing I can do. Why? you might ask. A valid question. I suppose its a matter of time, for the most part, especially with my job as editor for both Dark Star Publications and the newly formed Pulsar Books, and being the webmaster for numerous websites. Moreover, and of greater personal importance, my own writing has suffered horribly. Indeed, I have not placed pen to paper (apart from some articles, book reviews, and these goofy editorials) since the magazine came into being. Additionally, as some of you are aware, I have other creative pursuits that will eventually take me out of the country for weeks on end and heaven only knows when I will find the time necessary to keep the magazine running in its present state. I admit, this was not an easy, slap-dash decision, believe me. Indeed, this magazine has become my baby, one that I will not relinquish with a smile, I assure you. But for months, now, I have discussed in detail my situation with some cherished friends (lets just call them the Triple-Ls) and understanding my time constraints, they seem to support this major decision. Therefore, after considerable pondering, I feel I have no alternative. I have done my share for The Cause, and must free myself of its burdens for pastures anew. Now, this is not to say that Of Ages Past will forever close its doors—indeed, I will strive to make this magazine either a bi-monthly or quarterly publication (I havent, however, quite decided which option better suits my current situation). But the magazine will live on—make no mistake about that—and major changes are on the way come the new year. Some are very exciting, to say the least. As always, Ill keep you abreast of the situation once all the deals are finalized. (Thank you to Penny and Gina, if youre lurking . . . which Im sure you are . . .) Now that the bomb has been dropped, and youve all had a chance to recover (I hope), Ill move on to the reason everyone truly visits the magazine . . . the offerings we have to share . . . In this months Articles, personal historian Karen Hamilton Rager shares some easy and practical advice on how to turn your memories into memoirs; while Marina Maxwell relates her special connection to the past, and the story of how she discovered an historical fiction authors gem. In this months Book Reviews, you will encounter numerous critiques of historical novels, from mystery and mayhem to romance at its best, thanks to Frances Grattan, Cheryl Sallick, and Kathee S. Card, who, alone, gives us seven reviews on the latest tomes. In this months Short Stories, author Victoria Prescott provides us with Besss Story, a tale of one woman in England during the turbulent era of the late 16th Century; Lloyd Michael Lohr offers his The Boudiccan Revolt Against Rome, a riveting story steeped in English history from beginning to end; Steve Aman shares with us The Purple Sea, a chilling tale of a mans encounter with odd creatures while adrift on the oceans; while acclaimed novelist K. G. McAbee bestows us with another one of her hilarious, tongue-in-cheek adventures in the life of Southern belle Wisteria Bozomheave, in Wisteria Bozomheave Is Exiled To Europe. In this months Novel Excerpts, novelist Rosalie More shares part of her Allegiance, a page-turner of life in the wild frontier of America in the 19th Century; Patricia White offers us a taste of Edwina Parkhurst - Spinster, the tale of one woman on a desperate journey and the gunfighter she encounters along the way; Carolan Ivey provides part of her intriguing Beaudrys Ghost, a personal favorite of mine, a unique story of the paranormal mixed with Americas bloody Civil War; while one of my favorite authors of all time, one of my inspirations for writing, Mr. Bernard Cornwell, gives us a snippet of his newly released Sharpes Triumph, a sweeping saga one can only expect from such a literary master. Additionally, a portion of an interview with Mr. Cornwell is included along with his marvelous excerpt—a must-read for anyone who has followed the adventures of the compelling Richard Sharpe. As always, thanks for visiting, and feel free to email me with anything, both good and bad, regarding the magazine. Please keep those nominations coming in for our Sites Of The Month section, and the recommendations for great historical fiction. And again, as always, enjoy!
Owner, Editor, and Webmaster ofagespast@hotmail.com |