And of course, once more we’re running a bit behind (currently reading stories in Mid-March) but making steady progress.  We’ve received close to 3000 stories via the portal so far and are still receiving snail mail submissions as well (about 4-5 a day).   My editorial assistants and I are happy to see so many impressive stories, but frustrated that we just don’t have the space for all of them (working on something to help rectify this – stay posted ).  So thanks to all for your patience while we work hard to get to each and every one of you.

Some news – just a small sampling of stories we’ve recently acquired that you will see later this year (please note: this is not all of them):

Stephen Graham Jones – an amazing post-apocalyptic zombie story (no, you’ve not seen one like this before). 

Annalee Newitz – monstrous weirdness in an alternate future of San Francisco

Conrad Williams – a photographer finds something strange

Tamsyn Muir – a young girl is schooled in the many ways of magic (Harry Potter this is not, trust me)

Tom Underberg – A Sin eater in search of something he must have in order to feel again

Jamieson Ridenhour – Unusual musical Deal with the Devil story in the Deep South

Leena Likitalo – Short bizarre story from this up-and-coming Finnish writer

“Ann has done an outstanding job since joining the Weird Tales editorial team three years ago,” said publisher John Betancourt. “For two decades she’s been one of the most talented, cutting-edge editors in the business, so we’ve been thrilled to see her finally burst onto SF’s center stage, both with Weird Tales and with her recent run of high-profile anthologies. We could not be more pleased to have Ann representing the proud tradition of the world’s oldest fantasy magazine.”

Editorial and creative director Stephen H. Segal, who has collaborated with VanderMeer for the past three years in leading the 21st-century revamp of Weird Tales, will remain a valuable part of the team as the magazine’s senior contributing editor. He is stepping away from the magazine’s day-to-day operations to accept a new full-time position as acquisitions editor for Quirk Books, publisher of the 2009 international bestseller Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

The Weird Tales masthead will be rounded out by two new, though very familiar, additions to the management team serving under VanderMeer. Campbell Award-winning author, artist, designer and performer Mary Robinette Kowal will serve as the magazine’s new art director. And two-time Stoker Award nonfiction winner Paula Guran, editor of the Pocket Juno fantasy imprint, will serve as Weird Tales’s new nonfiction editor.

“It makes me very happy that three of the most creative, insightful and hard-working people I know in the fantasy world will be shepherding Weird Tales into the future,” said Segal. “I’ve loved every minute of working on the magazine, and I’m terribly glad that Ann, Mary and Paula want me to stay onboard as a regular contributor.”

“Stephen’s been a trusted and brilliant co-conspirator on Weird Tales,” said VanderMeer, “and I’m happy that he has such a great opportunity ahead of him. Meanwhile, I’m very excited about the addition of Paula Guran and Mary Robinette Kowal to the magazine team. Thanks to our subscribers for their support; thanks to everyone who submits their writing and art to Weird Tales; and thanks to John Betancourt for his belief in the magazine and in me personally. We’re looking forward to a great future for Weird Tales, and we invite everyone to be part of that experience.”

Weird Tales has an active 2010 calendar lined up, starting with two major event sponsorhips in conjunction with its special spring steampunk issue (forthcoming in March): the Friday night festivities at Norwescon, the Seattle area’s leading science fiction convention, taking place the weekend of April 1; and the literary lineup at the Steampunk World’s Fair, a new multi-arts festival taking place in central New Jersey the weekend of May 14.

For more information, contact editor in chief Ann VanderMeer at weirdtales@gmail.com.