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Posted By : AlexMoisi - 3/9/2008 1:13 AM
Here is a mail I received from the editor of NoctemAeternus (I was on their mailing list)


o the Darkly Faithful,

I have always considered Noctem Aeternus Magazine as a vehicle to expand the horror
genre, and to add a good paying market for its writers.

My idea was to create a quality PDF delivered quarterly. The plan was to make the
subscription free so we could build a huge circulation, where we could use those numbers
in a national sells effort. The goal was to have 30,000 subscribers before the first issue hit
mailboxes . . . unfortunately we only reached 6,000 subscribers.

I paid over $2,000 out of my own pocket to pay the writers for the first issue because we
did not have sufficient advertising. The money is not the issue . . . however, the fact that I
misjudged the number of folks signing up for a free product is.

My life is changing, and I simply cannot continue with the business model I set out with.
As many of you know, my wife and I are expecting our first child in August. We have been
married for 15 years and this something that has already changed everything. We are also
in the process of purchasing a bigger house so when the little one grows into the bigger
one, we'll have the room and I won't have to give up my den or office.

So, with all that said, I am announcing that Noctem Aeternus is no more. The first issue
was its last, unfortunately.

I want to thank each of you for subscribing and supporting. I have heard from hundreds of
you about how much you enjoyed the first issue, the stories, the authors.

I also want to thank the authors who became a part of the ride. I had the pleasure of
working with some of the best in the business. You are all fantastic.

I want to especially thank Jude-Marie Greene, Rob Darnell, Brian J. Hatcher, Paula Guran,
and Ada McMurray for all the hard work and excellent views. I can never say enough about
these folks.

All pending submissions are released back to respective authors. I hope you all sell them
for more money than you could have made with us.

I am not going away in the genre; I am just letting the magazine go. I will continue to
write, edit anthologies, and hopefully write some more . . .

I will keep this email list going so I can send emails occasionally about upcoming projects
and so forth. You are invited to stay, but you can opt-out at any time.

Thanks again,
Michael Knost


for more of me & a few unprofesional market reviews check out
www.dracken.co.nr


The amazing adventure e-zine NorthPoint


Posted By : darkbow - 3/9/2008 3:44 AM
Yeah, I got the e-mail.

Too bad. I had hopes for this one. I still think 6,000 subscribers is pretty good, but apparently not good enough.


www.tyjohnston.blogspot.com
http://radiodarkbow.blogspot.com Two songs a day, every day.

"Walking Between the Rain" Every Day Fiction on March 21, 2008
"Beneath a Persian Sun" upcoming in Carnivah House's "Infinity Swords" anthology
"Deep in the Land of the Ice and Snow" in "The Return of the Sword" anthology
"Hot Off the Press" Ray Gun Revival #25, 2007


Posted By : erazmus - 3/9/2008 8:20 AM
Dang,
I guess thats one more to send elsewhere.

Mike


Michael D. Turner
"Psyched Up" in _Turn the other Chick_-ed. E. Friesner-Baen books
www.baen.com
"Dutchman Rescue"in Continuum SF #6
www.continuumsciencefiction.com/orders.htm

"An Incident at Black Tongue Tavern" in _Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy_ from Fantasist Enterprises:

www.fantasistent.com/books/anthologies/BASH.php
"Stains" in Tales of the Talisman 3-1 www.zianet.com/hadrosaur/index.html
"Morning Coffee" in Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/morning-coffee-by-michael-d-turner/
"The Jewel Below" in Flashing Swords
flashingswords.sfreader.com/issues/issue8/vol2-iss8-05.htm
"Happy Landings" in Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/happy-landings-by-michael-d-turner/
"Teller of Tales" in Every day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/teller-of-tales-by-michael-d-turner/
Read "Silver Shells" In Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/silver-shells-by-michael-d-turner/


Posted By : Bill Ward - 3/9/2008 2:58 PM
This is a real shame as this magazine could have really been something fresh.


billwardwriter.com


Posted By : crystalwizard - 3/9/2008 7:38 PM
maybe one of you guys might consider contacting Michael and offering to take over?


Never meddle in the affairs of a wizard unless you are soggy and hard to light!



Managing Editor of Flashing Swords


Visit my art gallery on art wanted
All my books in print


Posted By : erazmus - 3/10/2008 10:03 AM
Not the way he had the buisness plan set up. I have far too little faith in people for that.

Mike


Michael D. Turner
"Psyched Up" in _Turn the other Chick_-ed. E. Friesner-Baen books
www.baen.com
"Dutchman Rescue"in Continuum SF #6
www.continuumsciencefiction.com/orders.htm

"An Incident at Black Tongue Tavern" in _Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy_ from Fantasist Enterprises:

www.fantasistent.com/books/anthologies/BASH.php
"Stains" in Tales of the Talisman 3-1 www.zianet.com/hadrosaur/index.html
"Morning Coffee" in Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/morning-coffee-by-michael-d-turner/
"The Jewel Below" in Flashing Swords
flashingswords.sfreader.com/issues/issue8/vol2-iss8-05.htm
"Happy Landings" in Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/happy-landings-by-michael-d-turner/
"Teller of Tales" in Every day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/teller-of-tales-by-michael-d-turner/
Read "Silver Shells" In Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/silver-shells-by-michael-d-turner/


Posted By : Jordan Lapp - 3/10/2008 2:33 PM
Yet another wannabe editor looking at a crowded market littered with the tombstones of failed ventures and saying "me too."

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Don't start a magazine unless you can run it for at least a year on no income. This kind of thing just makes the rest of us look bad. In fact, the reason he probably only got 6000 subscribers was because people were wary of this >exact< thing.


Jordan Lapp
Managing Editor

Posted By : crystalwizard - 3/10/2008 7:41 PM
What Jordan said, but 2 to 3 years without expecting any income is a little more realistic.

No, Mike, I wasn't suggesting you offer to take over his business plan. Just his resources and the name of the mag. His business plan was less than well thought out.


Never meddle in the affairs of a wizard unless you are soggy and hard to light!



Managing Editor of Flashing Swords


Visit my art gallery on art wanted
All my books in print


Posted By : erazmus - 3/11/2008 2:38 AM
Not for me, besides which, with only one issue out and a silly name, I don't see much value in the name. In the extremely unlikely event I want to lose money I don't have publishing a horror magazine, I'll start my own. (And pay seven cents a word, max.) I'll probably call it something in English. If the powerball people pull my numbers, you guys will be the first to hear.
I might go for a celebrity endorsement-- Alice Cooper should have his own horror magazine, don't you think?

Mike


Michael D. Turner
"Psyched Up" in _Turn the other Chick_-ed. E. Friesner-Baen books
www.baen.com
"Dutchman Rescue"in Continuum SF #6
www.continuumsciencefiction.com/orders.htm

"An Incident at Black Tongue Tavern" in _Bash Down the Door and Slice Open the Badguy_ from Fantasist Enterprises:

www.fantasistent.com/books/anthologies/BASH.php
"Stains" in Tales of the Talisman 3-1 www.zianet.com/hadrosaur/index.html
"Morning Coffee" in Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/morning-coffee-by-michael-d-turner/
"The Jewel Below" in Flashing Swords
flashingswords.sfreader.com/issues/issue8/vol2-iss8-05.htm
"Happy Landings" in Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/happy-landings-by-michael-d-turner/
"Teller of Tales" in Every day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/teller-of-tales-by-michael-d-turner/
Read "Silver Shells" In Every Day Fiction
www.everydayfiction.com/silver-shells-by-michael-d-turner/


Posted By : crystalwizard - 3/11/2008 3:19 AM
erazmus said...
Not for me, besides which, with only one issue out and a silly name, I don't see much value in the name. In the extremely unlikely event I want to lose money I don't have publishing a horror magazine, I'll start my own. (And pay seven cents a word, max.) I'll probably call it something in English. If the powerball people pull my numbers, you guys will be the first to hear.
I might go for a celebrity endorsement-- Alice Cooper should have his own horror magazine, don't you think?

Mike


No, go for someone that really strikes terror into the heart of Mortal Men. Get Bill Gates to endorse it.