In the next step in the ongoing evolution of “short attention span theatre”, Nathan E. Lilly has launched Thaumatrope. Subtitled “The Twittering E-Zine”, it is, as Lilly writes, “a new experiment: the first e-zine on Twitter.” Specifically, Thaumatrope is “SF/F/H under 140 characters.” He’s already published stories by Larry Hodges, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Jeremiah Tolbert, and an interview with John Scalzi.
The writers’ guidelines say that he’s looking for “a Science Fiction, Fantasy, or Horror story in under 140 characters. Other than that, we’re just looking for good stories.” Payment is $1.20 per story. Subscribing to or reading Thaumatrope is free, but Lilly is soliciting donations to keep the experiment running.
He explains that a thaumatrope (the object for which the e-zine is named) is “a small disc containing a pair of images, tied between two bits of string. When the disc is spun the two images become one. The thaumatrope relies on the principle certain toys use to create illusions of motion. As it spins the quick flashes are seen as one image.”
Lilly is also the editor of SpaceWesterns.com, and a web site designer.
[Editorial aside: since I don’t use Twitter, I’m looking for a reader (or two) who is interested in reading Thaumatrope and reviewing it for SFScope. Use the “Contact Us” link at the top of the page. Thank you.]