Toward Ecosophy

I'm delighted to report that the fundraiser for Locust Creek Plant Haven, which I discussed in earlier posts here and here, is finished and has been a thumping success. They exceeded their goal with a donation total of $4889, so all the improvements to the endangered plant sanctuary and the establishment of a forest school for children are going ahead as we speak.  If you haven't visited the photo page for the fundraiser here, take a moment to do so. 

Meanwhile the Kickstarter subscription campaign for MYTHIC Magazine, which I also discussed in this earlier post, is heading into the home stretch, with just four days still to go. It's already met its minimum and passed the first of its stretch goals, and with $3,999 raised, it's got just a little more to go to hit the second stretch goal. Publisher Shaun Kilgore's mission here is one that ought to warm the heart of anyone who's ever dreamed of writing a story: he wants to pay his authors more. If you haven't contributed yet, or even if you have, please consider visiting the Kickstarter page here and making a contribution -- and if you know of any venues where you can let people know about the fundraiser or MYTHIC Magazine, please consider helping to get the word out. Thank you! 

***Update***--45 hours to go as I type this, and the fundraiser has met the second of its stretch goals. Thank you, everyone -- and if you haven't contributed yet, please consider doing so now!

***Further Update*** -- the fundraiser has closed, having hit three, count 'em, three of its stretch goals, and well over double the original amount Shaun asked for. Thank you, all of you!  I have the best readers on the internet, full stop, end of sentence. 

My author's copy of the current issue of MYTHIC magazine arrived this afternoon, which was pleasant in more ways than one. Fans of my novel series The Weird of Hali might want to pick up this issue as we wait together for an announcement on the third book of that series, as it contains another Lovecraftian occult-detective story* featuring Jenny Chaudronnier** and Owen Merrill from the series, up against a puzzling and potentially lethal mystery involving a haunted library and a book bound in human skin...

So that was pleasant. The other thing that's been a real pleasure to me is watching MYTHIC ripen from a promising beginning to a solid science fiction and fantasy magazine, one that's getting contributions from a growing list of capable authors. A quick glance through the issue tells me that I'm going to have a couple of evenings' worth of very pleasant reading. If you're into good lively imaginative fiction that's into storytelling rather than striking literary or political poses, it's worth your while. 

*There's going to be a whole series of these. The first, "The Phantom of the Dust," appeared in the Spring 2016 issue of MYTHIC; a third, "The Mummy from R'lyeh," has been submitted, though I haven't heard yet whether it's been accepted or not.

**Yes, that's Jenny Parrish from the second book, The Weird of Hali: Kingsport. For reasons not too hard to guess if you've read that book, she changed her name after she finished her doctorate.