Sometimes a knife is just a knife

The Lone Ranger and Tonto were traveling through the desert. Night came and they stopped for the night. After they had set up their tent both men fell asleep.

Some hours later Tonto woke the Lone Ranger up and said, "Kemo Sabe, look towards the sky. What you see?"

The Lone Ranger replies, "I see millions of stars."

"What that tell you?" asked Tonto.

The Lone Ranger ponders for a minute then says, "Astronomically speaking, it tells me there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically it tells me that Saturn is in Leo. Time wise it appears to be approximately a quarter past three in the morning. Theologically it tells me the Lord is all-powerful and we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, it seems we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What's it tell you Tonto?"

"You are dumber than buffalo crap. Someone stole the tent!"

Yep. Sometimes a knife is just a knife.

I'm not quite home yet, and I've only had limited computer time the past few days - mainly sticking to emails and the odd quick surf here and there. By tomorrow night I should be caught up and back into action.

Or incredibly depressed to leave spring on the coast behind and have to shovel the snow that's accumulated back home.

Wednesday, I mentioned that the New Issue of Spinetingler Magazine was up for download - including stories by fellow bloggers author Tracy Sharp, Dana Y.T. Lin, E. Ann Bardawill, and M.G. Tarquini.

Plus, your's truly interviewing author Tracy Sharp, and author Cornelia Read, and a Backlist Review, featuring the works of John Rickards.

Why am I mentioning it again?

Because I know you guys have been checking it out.

And not just you guys. 1540 people have downloaded the Spring 2006 Issue between Tuesday and Friday of this week. That's more than 380 downloads per day.

And that doesn't include online reads of specific stories, reviews or interviews.

To me, it's amazing. I have had so many people tell me I was wasting my time writing for an ezine, that nobody took them seriously.

Yet we're already full for the Summer Issue - and have been for a while - and have a record number of submissions already in to be considered for Fall.

And we continue to get more and more downloads of the magazine.

I wouldn't say it's true of all ezines. Really, you have to work hard - and invest in it - to make it take off and get attention. You have to set high standards to make sure you're getting quality stories worth publishing.

Fortunately for us, we continue to get better and better stories to read through, and we've had no trouble getting great authors to agree to interviews. In short, we've been fortunate to have a lot of support in the writing world.

And for their support, I must thank Stuart MacBride for telling people about us on his blog, Sarah Weinman, for mentioning us in her weekend update when the interview with Laura Lippman came out and Cornelia Read for making sure she put up a link to the interview on her website right away.

Spinetingler's achievements show two things: their is demand for quality online ezines, and that with the support of others in the writing community ezines can obtain a substantially higher distribution than some print magazines.

It's important for authors who want to promote themselves.

And for writers who just want a venue to read and publish good writing.

With that in mine, be on the look-out for other quality online and print mags - check out my links. Demolition, Crime Scene Scotland...

1540 downloads in 4 days is 1540 downloads. I happen to know, via emails, that we have authors, publishers and agents reading.

Some will twist, some will discount... But 1540 downloads is 1540 downloads.

If you're a writer and have bought into the idea that it's a waste of time to be published in an ezine, all I can say is I beg to differ. It's made a world of difference to me in building my career.

Now, don't forget the contest!

Sandra Ruttan.com has the answer.

Question:

What are the names of the two main characters in Suspicious Circumstances?

Email your answer to me at sandra.ruttan@spinetinglermag.com with the word "contest" in the subject line.

I don't care if you "know" me. I don't care if you're rich and famous enough to buy your own book. And I don't care if you know the answer because you're one of my core readers going over the book to give me feedback right now before the final edits are done.

Just enter the contest! If you don't, I'm going to commission a voodoo doll. And start playing with matches.

And I'll announce the winner sometime on Monday.

See you then,
XO
Sandra