Brain Harvest: An Almanac of Bad-Ass Speculative Fiction has been working hard to publish an original piece of flash fiction every Sunday since it first appeared two months ago. Vylar Kaftan, Cat Rambo, and J.M. McDermott have been among the recent contributors of stories perfectly suited for reading either online or on mobile devices. But, like most genre publications, Brain Harvest is a labor of love.
This is where you, fiction-lovers, come in. Eden Robins, co-editor and zombie aficionado, says, “There are many delicious ways to fork over cash to us. And 100% of the proceeds go directly into paying our authors.”
Donations to the site of $10 or more gets you a mustache “lovingly hand-knitted by one of our very own editors!” And if you send a picture of yourself in the mustache, you’ll be immortalized on Brain Harvest‘s Mustachioed Hall of Fame! Supporters of one of the proud few fiction magazines paying professional rates (or those averse to facial hair) can also buy some specially-designed Brain Harvest merchandise on Zazzle. Unicorn T-shirts! Stylish mugs!
Eden and co-editors Caren Gussoff and Shane Hoversten (he knits mustaches, too?) are also the brains behind Fresh Eyes, a professional critiquing service. “For $25, you’ll get a thorough, insightful critique of your work, finished within one week,” Eden explains. It’s here where I should disclose that I attended last summer’s Clarion West Writers Workshop with all three Brain Harvest creators (though I am not affiliated with the magazine in any way). Thorough and insightful only begin to touch on the feedback I received from them over the course of six weeks and five short stories. Honest, objective advice from other people who shared my enthusiasm for storytelling, but each in ways completely unique from my own, was (and continues to be) invaluable to my growth as a writer. But, before I am accused of bias, you can read a critique of the Fresh Eyes critiquing service here.
So, go. Support a new fiction market if you can.
