Mike Davis

A “Lovecraft eZine” print collection?

I’m still thinking of doing a print book this year… but I need your opinions.  Should the print anthology be a “best of” the stories in previous Lovecraft eZine issues?  Or should it feature all-new original stories in the Lovecraft eZine theme?

Would you please vote in the poll below?  And also, feel free to elaborate in the comment section.

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31 comments

  2. part of the reason I was excited about the newest Lovecraft e-book you let us know about is that it had a mix of my favorite Lovecraft stories plus new ones I had not or might not have seen. I would take a similar approach to your book.

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  3. Why not both? A best of with maybe 3 new stories thrown in as a bonus and a whole new anthology. When will the results be known?

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  4. And then some good thinking on a marketing and distribution campaign, something else you seem to have a knack for.

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  5. I’m 4 both…I think an important question is who the desired audience for the tome is. I would like to see Lovecraft introduced to more readers, and the ezine as well. Somehow selecting stories, re-prints and new, that really convey the essence of what these stories hold or contain that can grab the 21st century reader, especially young adults, would be a good goal in my mind. I mean, we’re already hooked and read these works, how could this book call attention to the canon, original and evolved, and to this magazine? So I guess I’m arguing for the balance to be reprints with some new, carefully chosen to reflect “the new”.

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  7. I’m in a favor of a mix–I know, following the herd. 😛

    You could also make one of the themed issues a print. Holidays or women-only would gain some traction since they’re very specific, and not commonly done. Plus, themed anthologies seem quite popular.

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  8. I think a ‘best of’ makes sense because it gives a chance for the stories that have helped establish the ‘zine to access that section of the market which favours a print artifact (I’m like that, for instance – I’m still a dead tree fundamentalist 80% of the time) and it’s a nice wrap-up of what the zine has achieved thus far. If it works out, maybe all-original theme anthologies could be a future possibility!

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  9. I would lean toward a “best-of” with a few new stories thrown in. Of course, the 99 cents I put toward the eZine each month is a financial stretch (I know, I’m pathetic), so I probably couldn’t afford it anyway.

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  10. I like the idea of a collection of fan favorites from the existing issues and new material. Perhaps something a bit longer that would normally require serialization.

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  12. I think a mix might be the ideal. The majority of the stories being new, with one or two classic ezine stories.

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  13. To make a print version of the Lovecraft magazine interesting to the widest audience, I feel that you would have to have the best few stories already made available mixed with new stories.
    I think that many people would be put off buying a copy if all the stories had already been available. At the end of the day. to make it viable, you need to sell as many copies as possible.
    Mixing new stories with the best of the others makes it far more tempting for anyone not sure whether to pay out their hard earned cash.

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  14. I actually favor print over electronic media; it’ just my bias. One thought is to use POD technology (I think this requires less outlay on the part of the publisher but I am not sure).

    That being said here is what I want: I want a print issue of all the stories published to date. My second choice is a ‘greatest hits’ anthology, much like Cthulhu’s Creatures was a greatest hits of Rainfall Books’ chapbooks. If you publish an all original story anthology I will gladly buy a copy. SO whichever way you go, I’ll get one.

    My second request would be a nice limited edition hardcover including all the art from previous covers and wall papers, or submitted by artists active on this site.

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  15. Also voting for mix. New stuff, especially from previous Lovecraft eZine writers, would be great, as well as some previously published material from past issues.

    To decide on the “best of” material, I’d vote for, well, a vote. Let the readers decide! Maybe allow each person to vote for three stories, then the top five vote-getters are printed, something like that.

    As much as I enjoy reading the eZine on my Kindle — hurray for print!

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  23. I’d suggest ~ 2/3 best-of, with 1/3 new stories for longtime eZine readers. How to choose the best, though? A reader poll?

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  26. I voted for new stories, primarily to maximize the market for the book. A “Best of…” collection would be wonderful for new readers but perhaps would not be bought by a lot of fans of the eZine who have bought all the stories published in previous issues in eBook format from you already.

    I didn’t read the comments until after voting, and now I’d agree that perhaps several of the best previously published stories accompanied alongside a majority of previously unseen stories would be the best route to go down.

    Whatever you decide, I’m sure it will be wonderful.

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Hey! How about a comment? :)