A lot of talented artists send me their work and offer to illustrate Niteblade or do our covers. Most of them are primarily looking for exposure for their work and I feel terrible turning them away but I do. Over the first four issues of Niteblade I expiriemented with using more than one artist, or even using stock photography, to illustrate the stories and it didn’t work for me. I love Marge’s work and the cohesiveness that comes from having only one artist working on Niteblade. However, that doesn’t stop me from wanting to do something to help expose those other talented artists to our readers.

So I came up with a plan. An art blogger. The blogger will have an email address at Niteblade through which they will take submissions and then they will make posts on this blog (once a month, more if submissions warrant) which showcase one individual and their work.

If Niteblade ever begins to generate a profit this could turn into a paid position, but for the time being it is strictly voluntary. You’ll be rewarded with um…fame…and…um…fame. And you’ll know that you’re helping show off the work of some very talented artists.

If you’re interested or have any questions please email rhonda@niteblade.com. If you’re interested in the position please include samples of your writing — blog posts would be ideal.

Thank you.

I’ve approved them for distribution and so I’m told they will start showing up on Amazon in about 6-8 weeks…unless I’ve done something wrong which is always a possibility. Anyway, they are on sale now at LuLu — Check them out if you haven’t already.

I’ve been trying to get them ready to ship and such and the contributor copies will start going out in the mail on Friday. Unfortunately I have to do them in waves because transporting them to the post office is an issue — 40 books are a bit of a load when you don’t drive LOL (sorry guys, but it’s bad for the planet).

So yes, they are going out starting Friday. Keep your eyes open for them

In other news, I’m going to start doing book reviews and featuring some amazing artists here on the blog, so keep your eyes peeled for that and don’t forget to pick up your copy of Lost Innocence to read while you wait

Thank you so much.

Lost Innocence

Contributor copies will go out in the near future (expect an email about that in the next day or two) and I’ll draw a name to win the free copy tomorrow. For now I’m going to sit back, have a French Vanilla Cappucino from Tim Horton’s and enjoy the fact it’s done.

If anyone knows any good review sites please don’t hesitate to let me know, I’d also love to hear what you think of the book.

In the meantime, there are no entries for the contest to win a copy of Lost Innocence — none. What’s up with that? Enter now your odds look pretty good…unfortunately.

1. Link to http://www.niteblade.com from your website, blog or mailing list. Don’t have any of those? “Stumble” it or otherwise promote the site and the zine.
2. Email the details to me at rhonda@niteblade.com

For every link you’ve posted or thing you’ve done to promote the magazine I will enter your name into a draw. At the end of September I’ll make a draw and the winner will get a free copy of Lost Innocence.

Ready? Set. Go!

Chosen via Poll:
Illuminating Hell by Christopher Hivner
Dark Angel by R. K. Gemienhardt
The Rusalka by Ian R. Faulkner
Killing Mittens by Milan Smith
The Dreadlobster by Joshua Parmenter
Prison Darkness by Nathanael Green
The Seventh Day by Patrick Hurley
Corpse Candles by Richard H. Fay
Diary of Death by Alexis Child
Imaginarium by Aurelio Rico Lopez II

Chosen by Rhonda from past issues:
Philosopher Quinn by Jens Rushing
The Gnome’s Spectacles by Chris Burdett
Joy by David Buchan
Oil Change by Greg Schwartz
The Minotaur’s Breath by N.C. Whitehead
Dan’s Blaze by Matthew Longo
In Bloom by Kristine Ong Muslim
Wicked Love by J.R. Pearson
What We Give by BD Wilson
Shine On by J.A. Tyler

Winners of the Lost Innocence Anthology Contest:
Stone Soup by Joshua Gage
She of the Haunted Eyes by Kevin Miller
A Child’s First Casket of Rhyme by J H Hobson
The Ten Second Rule by Felicity Dowker
Outside Her Window, It Waits by John Bruni
Billy Don’t Like Clowns by Jeremy Brooks

Thank you to everyone for allowing me to use your wonderful work in the anthology. I am so excited for September!

Last year I attended The Muse Online Writers Conference as a participant, this year I’ll be going there as a participant -and- a presenter. That’s right, I’ll be there representing Niteblade and answering any questions people have. I’m also really nervous. Last year I noticed some forums didn’t have anyone posting in them — I don’t want to have one of those forums LOL So if you’re attending the conference (and you really should) pop by the Rhonda Parrish/Niteblade forum and say hi. You don’t want me to be sad and lonely do you?

Also, if you are a writer who has been published by Niteblade, there may be questions there you can answer better than I. Questions like, ‘Is Rhonda really the complete ogre we’ve heard she is?’ and such.

To register for the conference you just go to http://www.themuseonlinewritersconference.com/ and follow the registration link. It will take you to a mailing list. Once you join that Lea will send you all the information you need to pick your workshops and such in September.

I hope to see you there!

Entries are free and must be submitted between August 1st and August 31st. Poems may be of any form, of 20-lines or less, and must be on the theme of ENERGY. This theme may be interpreted in a variety of ways; these include metaphysical, magical, and mystical, as well as those energies attributed to scientific realms. This is a speculative poetry contest, so submissions must have a science fiction, fantasy, or horror element.

First prize is $100 cash, SFPA website publication, Waterman pen and journal, a signed hardcopy copy of The Journey to Kailash by Mike Allen, a copy of In the Yaddith Time by Ann K. Schwader, and a one year SFPA membership.

Second prize is $40 cash, SFPA website publication, an original painting by Marge Simon (the winner’s choice of three), one year subscription to Dreams & Nightmares, and a copy of Riffing on Strings, edited by Sean Miller & Shveta Verma.

Third prize is $20 cash, SFPA website publication, a copy of Lost Innocence: A Niteblade Anthology edited by Rhonda Parrish, and a copy of Sporty Spec: Games of the Fantastic edited by Karen A. Romanko.

Other prizes include The Poet’s Workshop – and Beyond by Terrie Leigh Relf, M.A., Covenant by Elissa Malcoln, a copy of each available Spec House of Poetry title, and a copy of Passionate Eye: The Collected
Writings of Suzanne Vega by Suzanne Vega.

Please check the link below for more detailed information and guidelines.
http://www.sfpoetry.com/2008poetrycontest.html