Volume 16 Number 4
Publisher's Comments
Volume 16: 2014
Latest Entry on Top
3 November 2014
by Robert Whitsitt
I think this is by far one of the best issues we've published. You may not love all of the works in it (five works of fiction, one of creative nonfiction, and seven poems), but I guarantee that you'll be tickled by at least one of them. Go to the Contents and enjoy the new issue!
On a personal note: As I write this, my father, at the age of 90, died a little over two weeks ago, on the Ides of October. He had been miserable since his wife of 35 years — the love of his life — died four months ago. In the last two weeks he developed the rare disease Senile Hemophilia (hemophilia that appears in old age), which as a retired doctor he recognized as likely fatal at his age. I think if you get hemophilia, you should get to be a prince, at least. But where is it written that life is fair?
One of his favorite stories was of the very old man he was examining. The old man kept looking past Dad to the opposite wall, which was blank. Dad finally asked what he was looking at. The old man said, "It's a documentary on the inauguration of Grover Cleveland." Dad looked at the blank wall, then went on with his examination. The old man asked, "Can't you see it?" Dad said, "No." The old man said, "Too bad. It's very educational."
Stories of that kind — carefully wrought, gleefully related — are part of why Dad was loved during his life, and will be remembered for decades or even generations.
4 August 2014
by Robert Whitsitt
I've always liked the ISBN (International Standard Book Number) identifications on books. They provide a good way to keep track of the zillions of books that there are in the world. Well, it turns out that there is another number, called ISSN (International Standard Serial Number), that is for periodicals, and it even can be used for Web sites! So, I applied for one for Amarillo Bay and a few weeks ago it was granted. Here it is.
ISSN 2330-3743
I put it on the Contents page on the upper right under the heading Publications, which is as close to a masthead as we have. So, Amarillo Bay is official after just 16 years!
This issue is excellent. The Creative Nonfiction and Poetry are great. Some of the Fiction, as editor Richard Moseley described it to me when he submitted the stories for coding, "has a slightly surreal tone." Yes, it does. But, as always, it is beautifully written. I hope you enjoy it at least as much as you have our other issues!
Enjoy the new issue!
19 April 2014
by Robert Whitsitt
When Jerry Craven and I started Amarillo Bay back in 1999, we had no idea what was ahead. Could we get editors for Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, and Poetry? Would they (and we) get tired of the work after a few issues? The result is that after more than 15 years we we have not missed a quarter. In that time we have published over 660 works! (As of this issue, on that page you can sort by author, work, type, and volume.) I find it astonishing that we have gone on for so long and published so much.
As to getting tired of doing it every quarter: Jerry (as Managing Editor) and I (Publisher), along with the original Fiction Editor, Richard Moseley, are still here. Our Creative Nonfiction Editors have been Jeff Todd (March 1999 - May 2001), H. Palmer Hall (August 2001 - February 2005), and Rebecca Balcárcel (March 2005 - now). For Poetry Editor, we've had Sandra Gail Teichmann (March 1999 - February 2000), Sherry Craven (March 2001 - August 2003), Jerry Craven (November 2003 - May 2004), Jeffrey DeLotto (June 2004 -August 2012), and Laura Kennelly (November 2012 - May 2014).
We are pleased to announce that, starting with the August issue, our new Poetry Editor is Katherine Hoerth.
You can read biographies of all of our editors on the About page by hovering your mouse over their name, or on your phone by clicking their name.
When he submitted his stories for me to typeset, our Fiction editor Richard Moseley said that they were a morose group. Well, they aren't the cheeriest stories we've ever published, but they are wonderfully written and I think will repay your attention. We have two works of Creative Nonfiction, one about dealing with the government and the other about dealing with a brother. I guess they're pretty morose, too. The Poetry runs the gamut from slightly shocking to cheery and sensual. I think that's a good mix.
Enjoy the new issue!
3 February 2014
by Robert Whitsitt
I've written in the past about the process of creating each issue. What I didn't mention is things that can go wrong. This issue has been something of a challenge. Two weeks before the issue was to go live, my desktop computer died. It was an expensive, top-of-the line machine when I bought it eight years ago, and was still quite useful even after all that time until its hard disk failed. Fortunately, I use a service that backs up all my files over the Internet, so I will be able to retrieve my files and put them on my new computer, which arrives in a few days.
Meanwhile, I retrieved just the files that make up Amarillo Bay and put them on my laptop computer. That was fine until it decided to misbehave. I did something all this afternoon—the day before we publish the new afternoon—and now, at 11:15 in the evening in my time zone, it appears that everything is working.
So, now I'll do the last few things in the process, upload the files, take a look at them on the Web site, and then tell the editors that the new issue is live. They will announce it to the authors and to their friends and co-workers, and in a few days (to allow time to find any obvious errors), I'll announce it on the Google List that contains people who want to be reminded of each new issue (if you want that, see Notification of Latest Amarillo Bay Issue). I'll then announce it on Google Plus. (I don't have a Facebook account, but several of the editors do and will announce it there.) It would be appreciated if you would tell your friends about Amarillo Bay!
And about the new issue: As always, it is good. In fact, quite good. I do have to warn you, as I did about one of the works of fiction in the November 2013 issue, one of the poems is difficult to read. It is the last poem in the list. It's good, but be prepared.
Enjoy the new issue!