Our reading cycle for the next DARKLING, the MMXII edition, has begun. Thus far, we're getting a lot of email submissions. We welcome these as well as traditional mail submissions. If you still have questions on how to submit, see our guidelines page.

The Editorial Board has been laboring over the entries to the 2011 Darkling Publications Chapbook Contest. This year's contest has truly been a competition. There will be no easy final judgment on this one; that said, it should mean that readers of Darkling Publications fare can expect a phenomenal read from whomever is crowned the winner of this, our second chapbook contest. It's likely we'll announce the winner in the next week, barring any further laborious discussion among the Editorial Board. In talking with Publisher Daniel G. Snethen, it's very likely we'll have another contest in 2012. Perhaps our readers and writers should start thinking of compiling material. We haven't asked for themes in this contest thus far, and I don't expect we will--at least not for a few more contests. The rules are pretty simple but as always are subject to change before the contest opens. If you know us at all you should be able to figure it out: we don't like profanity for the sake of being profane (in fact, we despise it as a cop out), we accept nothing pornographic, and we don't want to get the warm fuzzies from your work. If that's what you want, find a different magazine or sewing circle that may find your work more appropriate.

I digress.

DARKLING MMXI is nearly finished. I'm guessing within a week or two it will be in many of your mailboxes. If you haven't yet ordered your copies, please do so. As many of you know, we run a limited production and as we're selling more each year, we're likely to run very low very fast. This edition, as I always say, is the best edition we've run so far. We try to improve each year, and we hope you feel we have. We always love to see our past poets and artists and there are many in this year's edition. We also love to initiate new blood into our humble little Hellfire club and we have several new names and faces in this edition. We could use more visual art submissions, as this year Dan and I once again humbly offered some of our own photographic fare to "break up the gray" as they say. I think Dan and I are both pretty good photographers; I also think there are a lot more talented visual artists out there we could use to fill about three pages. If you know of any, send them my way. We'll use the same deadline for images as we do for poems, so the guidelines page on our website should offer everything they need. Again, nothing too profane just for the sake of being profane; nothing pornographic; keep the images of a dark bent.

Dan and I will be at the South Dakota Festival of the Book in Deadwood this Friday and Saturday, October 7 and 8. We'll be hobnobbing around, likely introducing some poets who are presenting in sessions, meeting new and interesting faces, and enjoying absinthine conversation with old friends. If you find yourself in the vicinity of historic Deadwood in the northern Black Hills of South Dakota, looks us up. We aren't that hard to find out there, sore thumbs as we are. Look for the big man with the satanically long beard and the biker with the devilish goatee. We'll be all over the place.

For those of you who are interested in past editions (we do still have a few of each edition) or in our past chapbooks, visit our Shopzone. Webmaster David has it up and running and while he will be doing some maintenance on the area to spruce it up a bit, it should give you a good idea of what we have to offer. If you have any questions on prices or ordering, email the publisher at dsnethen@darklingpublications.com.

I have a few more rides to take this Autumn--hopefully--and we have a promising season ahead of us. Here's hoping you enjoy the season of Samhain and as always I look forward to hearing from you. James