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5.27.2010

I have been trying to write this email for over a month.

In celebration of the 10th anniversary of Pindeldyboz, we've made the decision to shut it down. At some point in the next month or so, therefore, the site will be going dark.

It wasn't an easy decision in many ways, and in many ways it was. Over the last 10 years, we've published a whole lot of stuff by a whole lot of people. It's been a blast, and we like to think we've been an important part of the internet online fiction community -- or at least given some great voices a forum in which to shine. In return, Pboz has given us endless creative inspiration. It was something to do that existed outside the mundane tasks of our ordinary lives. It was never a full-time job, we never got paid, we never got famous. But that wasn't ever really the point.

There's not a lot of need for sentimentality here, because god knows I've played that card enough over the past decade. The decision to go dark was mostly mine, and it was made largely because I can't continue to ask my staff of brilliant volunteers to keep giving me their time indefinitely, and I don't have the time to give this lit mag what it needs anymore. And that's okay. 10 years is a good solid run -- centuries in internet time -- and I could not be prouder of what we've accomplished. I know that I would literally not have my current job were it not for Pboz; I would not have many of my current friends. I also know there are lots of younger journals out there tearing it up, carrying the torch of online fiction into the future, ensuring that the written word will forever thrive beyond the boundaries of 140-character chirps. We're basically Grandpa. It's time to get out of the way and let the hungry kidz have it.

Still not sure what form this shutdown is going to take, beyond the fact that in the next month or so, Pboz will cease to be updated. Hopefully, some of our staff (other than me) will write something to commemorate the occasion. Hopefully, I'll figure out how to suck the archives into some sort of pdf document that will be stored on whittlz.com in perpetuity (if you have tips on how one might accomplish such a thing, feel free to share). And then hopefully, someday, I'll stop paying the web hosting fees, and the site will be gone. In my dreams I see it hosting an exciting array of porn and/or travel deals.

The remaining copies of the Pboz print edition have been sent to the nice people at www.mudlusciouspress.com. That site's proprietors, J.A. Tyler and Andrew Borgstrom, have been an invaluable part of the Pboz.com editorial team, and have graciously offered to give our unwanted foster book children a home. Please consider purchasing one or more of those issues from their site -- all proceeds will go to them. They've earned it.

Way too many people to thank to do it properly, but lemme hit the big ones: Jeff Boison, our founder and visionary. Lee Epstein, Shauna McKenna, Darby Larson, and Wells Oliver, who took over the website when I was too tired to do it anymore. Kristin McGonigle and Allison Weaver, who took over the print edition when I was too tired to do it anymore. Carrie Hoffman, Juan Martinez, Ryan Boudinot, Jeff Ross, Sarah M. "Bones" Balcomb, Jeff Barnosky, Krista McGruder, Francis Joseph Smith, Josh Kron, Andrew Hogan, Mark Rapacz, the late, great, Bob Arter, Grace Bello, Nora Fussner, Rohan Bassett, and Nicole Derr, who read a billion submissions as associate editors over the years. John Verbos, Mark Yakich, and Jim Behrle, our poetry editors. Ben Balcomb, our loyal and steadfast web designer, who made sure we always looked good. Every single person who ever sent us their work. And last but never least, the "Other Whitney," Whitney Steen, who's guided the site for what seems like forever and never once complained about being called Other Whitney. Today, let's call her The Only Whitney That Matters, and thank her -- and the rest of these stronghearted individuals -- for their generosity and talent.

Finally, I thank you, Pindeldyfriends, for always reading, and reading strong. Keep an eye on the site for our farewell activities. We'll not hassle you with further missives about them -- if you want to stop by, we'll be there. Until we're not.

That's it. If I don't stop writing now, this email will be like twelve thousand words long.

with love and no regrets,

whitney pastorek
exec ed, pboz

12.20.2008

Holiday issue is up, yay! Theme is "Joy." Indeed.

You will also notice we've finally gotten around to updating some of the other information here and there. Like we took the old Queens mailing address down, because we moved to L.A. Um, we moved to L.A. a year ago. Not sure why that was still up, but okay, sometimes we forget to do things. Also, we've officially canned the print edition forever more, even the pipe dream of the print edition being resurrected someday. Screw that. The internet is the future.

Happy holidays, PindeldyPeople, and best wishes for scads of joy in your new year...

11.16.2007

Dearest Pindeldyfriends, the time has come. After seven years and seven issues, the print era of Pindeldyboz will come to a close on December 10th, 2007, when we release our seventh and final print issue. Perhaps ironically, this book will be released exclusively online, via our STILL VERY OPERATIONAL WEB JOURNAL WHICH IS NOT SHUTTING DOWN IN ANY WAY BECAUSE YOU CAN'T GET RID OF US THAT EASYl, Pindeldyboz.com. It will be available free of charge for your downloading pleasure in the always-convenient PDF form we've come to know and love. It will contain the work of 14 authors: Porter Fox, Sean Ennis, Martin Seay, Kristin McGonigle, Paul Mihas, Ben Stroud, Patrick Rapa, Jeff Parker, Julia Lichtblau, Ryan Effgen, Norman Lock, Alexis Moore, Juanjuan Blout, and Martha Clarkson. As of this moment, it will feature an introduction by its editor, Kristin McGonigle, and cover art by Michele Romero.

And just to reiterate, it will be free.

Why are we doing this, Pindeldypeople? There are many reasons, too numerous to spill out in this oh so impersonal email format. If you want answers-- or even if you just want to stand off to the side and stare at us for a while, trying to determine our motives-- might we suggest you attend our Issue Seven Release Party, aka The Last Pindeldyboz Reading Ever (Or For The Foreseeable Future, Anyway)?

ISSUE SEVEN RELEASE PARTY
aka THE LAST PINDELDYBOZ READING EVER
(OR FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE, ANYWAY)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 10th
7PM
THE SLIPPER ROOM
167 ORCHARD STREET
NEW YORK CITY

ADMISSION IS FREE

WITH SHORT READINGS BY:

MARTHA CLARKSON
JULIA LICHTBLAU
PAUL MIHAS
KRISTIN MCGONIGLE
AND OTHERS FROM ISSUE 7

FEATURING FUNNYMAN SETH HERZOG
HOSTED BY WHITNEY PASTOREK

WITH A SPECIAL MESSAGE FROM PBOZ FOUNDER JEFF BOISON

ALSO READING:

EVERYONE WHO HAS EVER BEEN PUBLISHED IN PBOZ PRINT, IF YOU SHOW UP

That's right-- if you've been a part of any one of our print issues (including you crazy poets), we'd like to invite you to read your favorite line from the story we published. Yep, one whole line. RSVP if you feel like it, or surprise us. Whatever.

Basically, folks, the intent of this party is just that: Party. We're not charging any money because we're never raising money again, so just come have a cocktail. Congratulate the contributors to Issue Seven. Celebrate all we've accomplished in the last seven years. Drink. Maybe we'll get pizza. I'll send out more details once I know them.

Save the date, for both the issue release and the event. If you can make it, we'd love to see you. Because it's so hard to say goodbye to yesterday... but booze helps.

w

5.31.2007

Hi. My name is Whitney Pastorek, and I am the executive editor of Pindeldyboz. I haven't written one of these in a while, so I figured I should just clean out this news page-- which was weirdly cut off around 2004 anyway-- and start a new one, to tackle the days and weeks ahead. Of which, I am told, there will be some.

First: Good news! Our poetry collection, which we have been promising to release since approximately 1978, has finally arrived! Edited by the superb Mark Yakich, it is chock full of versey goodness, and it can be yours at the low, low price of just $12, if you buy today. Buy today, won't you? Wipe that look of shock off your face. Sometimes things take a little longer here at Pboz... but they get done. And in an awesome way! Hooray, poems!

Speaking of getting done: Pboz Issue Lucky Number Seven (note: not "Slevin") is also very severely forthcoming, with all stories edited and merely waiting for the layout fairy to come make them pretty. Won't you please stay tuned?

And here's one of my favorite annual announcements to make: The StorySouth Million Writers contest has announced this year's notable stories. This superb yearly contest honors the very best publishing on the internets, and we've had the great privilege of being included in the finalists every year since its inception. This year, I'm very proud to congratulate Jeff Crook, Eman Quotah, Erinne Dobson, and Caitlin Horrocks, whose Pboz stories were selected; I'd also like to congratulate our contributors and friends who were nominated for their work elsewhere. Voting for Story of the Year starts June 1-- check the StorySouth site for full instructions, then get out there and vote vote vote! Go team us! And, as always, mad love to StorySouth editor Jason Sanford for all his hard work.

Finally, a word about submissions: If you sent one in during our last reading period and have not heard back from us, that's probably because your poor little story is still sitting in a massive pile somewhere, waiting to be cuddled. We promise we are getting to it as soon as possible, and-- see above, "poetry collection"-- we always come through on our promises.

That's it for now, peeps, except for this reminder: Lit mags don't grow on trees. They are made with money, which also, sadly does not grow on trees. Your kind purchase of a poetry collection today helps us print Issue 7 tomorrow, and so forth. We hate to come out here and beg, but we're gonna keep doing it, as it's the sad reality of our world. We need you to survive, Pbozzers. Until we can get Angelina Jolie to adopt us, that is. At which point I assume we will be set for life, as well as much better at riding motorcycles.

rock,

whitney pastorek
exec ed, pboz
whittlz@pindeldyboz.com