Yes,
Boys and Girls,
here we are again. Issue number 92 is up and running. For any newbies who might
stop by, this has been going on for 23 years now, the first ten in print before
we got tired of losing money and wised up.
Then we went to the
web and we’ve been right here all this time. For the last 14 years, Anne
Stickel has been your editor and I have taken care of the webmaster chores for
both BP and our sister mag, Yellow Mama. Anne is on leave right now, so you’re
all stuck with me.
I had a lot of great
submissions this last time around which has allowed me to publish some really
good stuff and as usual, our team of artists have done a great job illustrating
the stories. Our thanks go out to the crew once again—wonderful job, guys and
gals.
There have been
times in the past, I have to confess, when I have thought seriously about
shutting down Fossil Publications entirely, but then, since the Covid 19 hit,
suddenly I find myself in an advantageous position. I have something useful and
creative to do with my time and I can more easily avoid boredom than some
people who have nothing to do.
I’m not going to get
into my own opinions about the virus and its implications, or the politics
involved or the media hype. We run a horror/science fiction magazine here and
we’ll try to stay out of all that other stuff. We have a good supply of masks,
and having retired from a job at a major hospital/trauma center, I was no stranger
to masks, other PPE and universal precautions. Not near as big a problem for me
as for many others.
So, hang in there,
kiddos (I can say that because I just turned 76 and to me, most of you are
youngsters) and this too, shall pass. And when your grandkids someday are at
your knee and they ask, “what did you do during the great Covid Pandemic,
Grampa?” You can tell them about reading Black Petals and Yellow Mama online
and being entertained for at least a little while. Have fun and for you
writers, keep that good stuff coming our way…
Wichita,
KS 7/14/2020