You Should Totally Pledge To Fireside, Year Three

Let’s just get the link out of the way right now:

Click here and please pledge.

Okay, some of you are bristling and saying, JEEZ WENDIG, I NEED TO KNOW WHY. I DON’T JUST FLING DOLLARS AT THE INTERNET WITHOUT GOOD REASON, and to that I say, you are wise, far wiser than I, who uses Amazon Prime shipping to buy all kinds of unnecessary things: margarita machines, tiger tail butt plugs, monkey chow, candy cigarettes, howitzers.

So, all right.

First, the selfish angle: hey, you pledge to Fireside, it funds, you get a brand new shiny Miriam Black story from yours truly. Everybody’s favorite (*not scientifically proven) psychotic psychic.

Second: you get work by a number of great authors. That includes Lilith Saintcrow, Andrea Phillips, Stephen Blackmoore, Daniel Jose Older, Sofia Samatar, Kima Jones. Art by the splendiferous Galen Dara, who is doing the art for my current serialized time-travel-10-minutes-backward story, The Forever Endeavor — a story made possible by this year’s iteration of Fireside Magazine. (Read part one of The Forever Endeavor here, for free.)

Third: because if you take a gander at the authors listed, you will notice that it is not weighted toward the inhabitants of Heteronormative White Dude Mountain. This is a diverse cast of writers because Fireside has been committed to looking beyond the pale pink skin and dong-dangles found so often in science-fiction, fantasy, and other related genres.

Fourth: as many of you are writers or fans of writers, you should know that Fireside pays its contributors well. When I was 18 — *cough cough* twenty years ago — the pro rate for short fiction markets was five cents a word. That is still often the pro rate. What does Fireside pay? It pays 12.5 cents per word. Writing needs writers, and that culture is supported by authors who are fed, watered, housed, and liquored.

Fifth: because it is an open market to which you will be able to submit your own work.

Sixth: Brian is a great editor and a cool dude and he fears ponies for some reason.

Seventh: you can still get rewards that feature ME ME ME — like, say, signed Miriam Black books.

Eighth: because I said so.

Ninth: because your gods are telling you to do this lest they forsake you.

Tenth: because awesome, that’s why.

It’s almost over. The Kickstarter campaign ends Monday night. It’s just over halfway there, which means miles to go before we sleep. And by “we sleep” I mean “Brian White has his heart explode.” So: please. Support a great magazine. A year’s worth of fiction. A pay rate that matters. Brave work by interesting authors.

If you want to pledge now, click here.

If you can’t, please at least spread the word? Thanks!

*stares*