Wow. Hard to believe, but the day has finally come for our second issue to go online. Many were the times that I wished that we’d named this magazine SmokeLong Monthly, or even SmokeLong Weekly. At long last, publication day has arrived, and our archive of stories has burgeoned from seventeen to thirty-five stories. Whew!
Take a moment during this busy holiday season to treat yourself to some relaxation. You deserve it, don’t you? If only for a moment, stop worrying about whether you can make everyone happy this holiday season–you can’t. Uncle Fred is going to get drunk and belligerent no matter what you do. And your mother is going to bring her own dust with her to ensure that when she runs a white glove along the mantle, you’ll be found lacking. You know she will. So don’t worry about it!
Kick off your shoes, put on those sheepskin slippers you really couldn’t afford but you earned them, put a Duraflame in the fireplace, pour a snifter of brandy, and read. Ah. Soothes the soul, doesn’t it?
And what material there is to read! From returning favorites like Jade Walker and Peggy Duffy to never-before-published authors like Sean Oakley and Tammy Turner, we’ve been treated to a cornucopia of tasty stories from a wildly varied bunch of authors. As much fun as we’ve had reading of jump rope queens and love-struck moons, penguins and migratory bird-men, we know you’ll be equally delighted.
Are you feeling better yet? Is the stress melting away? No? Read the interviews associated with each story. Click the links to the forums to see what other readers have had to say about the stories. Make some comments yourself. Get inspired! Go write something! Submit it to us! And tell the kids that this year, you’re buying them books.
And when you’re done doing that, pull one more book from the shelf, whether it’s the Bible, the Koran, the Qaballah, or another book passed down from generation to generation. Take a moment to read the words that inspire you to be your best during this often chaotic season. And turn off the computer and share the wisdom with the people you love.
Happy holidays to you and yours,
Dave Clapper
Editor, SmokeLong Quarterly
December 15, 2003
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