flashquake

Foreword

Literary journals come and go at dizzying speed these days. Some publish one issue and are never heard from again. Few survive to celebrate anniversaries, and it is a milestone worthy of celebration.

In late winter and early spring of 2001, Debi Orton had the beginnings of an idea for a quarterly on-line literary journal that would feature very short (flash) fiction, nonfiction, plays and poetry. She shared that idea with Pam Casto who owns and runs a number of on-line writing groups devoted to the various forms of flash literature, and Paul Fahey who had recently started Mindprints, a print journal from Allan Hancock College in California. With Pam's and Paul's encouragement and advice flashquake was born.

Debi already owned River Road Studios from which she ran a small web page development business. She made a business plan and assembled a team of editors from active writers/reviewers on Pam's various groups. Dave Lignell, Vanitha Sankaran, Jonette Stabbert and Roger Paris were selected and agreed to join Debi on the editorial staff. Roger also agreed to serve as the art director.

A demonstration issue, featuring the work of editors and friends of the publication went on line in June of 2001. The sample issue was a marketing tool used to solicit submissions for the first regular issue that appeared in September 2001.

flashquake has evolved and adapted to the market during that year. The reading fee that was part of the original plan has been eliminated. All writers featured in the publication now receive a monetary stipend as well as a CD version of the issue in which their work appears. The gallery section was added to feature visual artists. Our editors donated their meager quarterly stipends to make the Editor's Picks section possible, which was added so more quality work could be featured.

Dave Lignell reluctantly resigned as editor when he received a promotion at his day job. Paul Fahey stepped in to fill the editor slot for one issue and David Shapiro joins the publication with this issue.

The work featured in this issue was gleaned from over 300 submissions. Readership has steadily increased over the year and the summer issue got more than 2,500 hits in the three months it has been on-line.

flashquake has become a viable and dynamic publication because it is sensitive to the writers/artists whose work appears in it and to the readers on whom its existence depends. This first anniversary issue is an accomplishment worthy of celebration.

"A little over a year ago I was in a privileged position. That was when Debi Orton approached me about the need for a flash literature journal. She thought someone should create one. I told her I thought she should create such a publication and I urged her to turn that idea into an actuality. I knew that if anyone could make a success of such a journal, it would be Debi Orton. With her usual know-how, passion, and drive, she did exactly that. She quickly assembled her fine team of talented and hard-working editors and in an amazingly short time flashquake was born and then immediately matured into a top-notch journal. In just one year flashquake has already become one of the best publications around. It's been wonderful to watch it all happen and I see nothing but more successes on the horizon as flashquake continues its outstanding work. Congratulations, flashquake, on becoming a phenomenal success in just one short year. Here's to many more accomplishments yet to come. I just know there will be plenty. And I'll be as privileged as ever as I watch it all happen." — Pam Casto, Mentor

"I came to fiction writing late in life, and was fortunate enough to fall under the tutelage of Pam Casto and Geoff Fuller in the flash fiction class they ran for the Coffeehouse for Writers. I'd long been a fan of flash fiction, and soon after I began to write it, I discovered that there was a whole spectrum of flash — not just fiction — and that a lot of the very talented flash writers I came across went unpublished. That's when the idea of flashquake was born — in homage to the talent and the dedication to flash literature I saw around me. Someone else loved it just as much as I did." — Debi Orton, Publisher and Editor

"When Debi contacted me to become an editor for flashquake, I was extremely honored and very excited. After a year of working with this team, after seeing the publication grow and evolve, I'm even more excited now. I'm proud of what we have done together and feel there is whole lot more to come in our second year." — Roger Paris, Art Director and Editor

"flashquake is a wonder. Dedicated professionals with plenty to do in their "real lives" devote hundreds of hours to producing a high quality literary journal. I'd like to salute the talent involved behind the scenes and the sensitivity and encouragement you offer writers, poets, playwrights and artists everywhere. May you have many more years of continued success. I think you will." — Paul Fahey, former guest editor and editor of Mindprints: A Literary Journal

"It is amazing to me that flashquake's first anniversary is already here. I still remember the excitement I felt when Debi asked me to be an editor. It's an excitement I feel every time an issue is ready to go live; as I read through it, I feel proud to be publishing such talented work, proud and very honored." — Vanitha Sankaran, Editor and Contest Manager

"I'm honored to be involved with flashquake — life is good. How wonderful it is to read the many submissions from talented writers. In a short space of time, flashquake has consistently moved ahead to become a leading venue for quality flash literature. Debi's professionalism and efficiency are an inspiration to all who work with her, Roger's art direction gives flashquake a distinctive look, and we have a skilled editorial team that works well together. flashquake is a class act :-) Long may it thrive!" — Jonette Stabbert, Editor

"When I was invited to join flashquake, I was bowled over by the talent and commitment of its editors and the top quality of the writers and artists who submitted. With a snappy new design and superb content, flashquake is fast becoming a leading destination for those who enjoy reading and writing short fiction, memoirs, drama and poetry." — David Shapiro, Editor

Copyright 2002 by River Road Studios

HOME | Contributors | Archives | Contact | Guidelines