Welcome to our cafe of small press zines. Many
of our various publications are included on this site. It will take
considerable time to include the contents of all of the available issues.
We cordially invite experienced and talented amateur writers &
artists to send submissions (email--paste in as part of email message--we
don't open attachments): articles (at least 3-5 pages), essays (any
length), commentary (at least 2 pages), reviews (books/zines/films/ videos/
music/websites), interviews (writers & publishers), poetry (any style
or length), fiction (any length though more than 7 pages is preferred), art
(black pen & ink or computer generated in any colors) and photos (must
have clarity--if sent via e-mail put them in a gif format).
For guidelines or to send submissions contact us at:
zinester@zworg.com or
zinester@buzzle.com or
zinester@mochamail.com
Or, request our regular mailing address.
Please enclose a S.A.S.E. with all inquiries.
We publish in various genres:
gothic-vampire, horror, mystery (Sherlock Holmes, Jack the Ripper,
all other mysteries), scifi/fantasy, western, plus occult/ paranormal, movie
& tv nostalgia, literary, pop-culture (fringe/quirky/ medley/retro),
social issues, historical (Old West, Americana, ancient Egypt, etc.), travel
experiences, multi-cultural, Irish/celtic, Jewish, writers & writing,
publishers & publishing, art & artists,
photography, etc. Our main emphasis
on this website is everything devoted to the realm of the midnight hour be
it mysteries, horror, dark fantasy, paranormal, film noir, all-night radio
talk shows, all-night cafes & diners frequented by coffee devotees, and
those nightowls out there who either have insomnia or work the graveyard
shift. Our cafe remains open for them throughout the night.
Stop by and hang out for a while.
Please note that these are OUR publications and
we aren't infringing on anyone's copyright. We were granted permission
to publish the submissions. All copyright of submissions reverts to
the creators once published. Some of the graphics (and photos) included are
copyright free clipart or from website hosts who allow use of their work
for anyone's website--a list of links to these clipart (plus photo) sites
are available in our links section.
ATTENTION:
WRITERS
Since we are a small press publisher we generally pay in free copies only.
Previously we paid a small fee for non-fiction and artwork plus free
copy (note: we have always paid in free copies only for poetry and
fiction). We plan to return to that policy sometime during 2005.
Remember small press is a good place for writers to start, build
up their list of credits, and if they desire (or the opportunity presents
itself) move on to the realm of big league publishers (you know--the
ones who can afford to pay writers the BIG BUCKS).
Small press zines make it possible for many new talents to find a place
for their works to be published. Without the existence of small press the
majority of these newcomers would probably have very little opportunity to
build their list of credits. The majority of small press publishers
operate on a shoe-string budget and if they had to pay fees (or large amounts)
they would cease to exist. Then many of those new writers would not
have a place to be published. There simply is not enough big book
and magazine publishers around for the new writers to find a publisher
who will even consider a newcomer. Many newcomers manage to find
publication repeatedly in small press. Of course, one's ability
to write well certainly helps. Many small press publishers are selective
and insist on good writing. It takes a long time and a lot of hard
work for a writer to work their way up in small press and develop a reputation
for good writing. Meanwhile, one does NOT get rid of their day job.
Eventually a writer should acquire a literary agent or attempt submitting
a manuscript to various publishers on their own. Only after a writer
succeeds in getting a contract should one ever consider giving up their day
job. Many writers are never able to give it up. It is a rough
world out there. Some writers manage to survive on writing for magazines
but that is considerably different from trying to have a book published.
It is something, in the future, we will cover in articles for
one or more of our zines. The zine market has grown considerably during
the past twenty or so years with ups and downs, and with the advent of the
Internet it has made zines more readily available to a broader audience.
Not all of it is good but it shows promise. However, there are
some individuals on the net giving bad advice. They recommend that
zine publishers should, for the most part, start paying fees to their
contributors for submissions and never mind the fact that most on-line zine
publishers do NOT make any or much money with their publications (and the
same thing goes for many in-print publishers). It is unrealistic
to expect the majority of small press publishers to pay monies that
they do not have available in their budgets (those monies go for printing
and other supplies as well as postage--we cannot forget about the never-ending
postal costs). The online publishers frequently have even smaller budgets
since many of them are online simply because they can't afford to be in print.
Small press has always existed as an alternative to the BIG publishers
with their mainstream mentality. The BIG GUYS generally do not have
room to publish anything outside of what will be commercially successful.
Writers seeking an alternative or simply trying to break into publishing
for the first time almost always must depend on the existence of small press.
That small press cannot exist if they have to go broke doing so.
Very few small press publishers have an independent source of funds
to pay contributors nor to do justice to publications by paying for expensive
printing. They have a family and a whole other life they must take
care of first--that is where their monies go. Zines are mainly a labor
of love and zine publishers do the best they can with them.
There is a new trend with some publishers who have attempted during the 1990's
to push small press in the direction of desktop publishing in an aim to impress
everyone that they can indeed go professional.
While it is nice to create a presentable-looking publication, it is unnecessary
to push the limits of small press in a way that causes many publishers,
who are unable to afford the expensive equipment and printing costs, to
frequently quit small press altogether. Of course, that just might
be the aim of those able to afford the expenses to eliminate the rest
so they can have the territory to themselves. It just might be that
they rather sacrifice the originality that often flourishes in small press
to make it in to a mostly commercial enterprise. In the long run
their method of monopolizing small press is harmful--it could destroy the
very essence of its existence by commercialization in both format and spirit.
Small press would cease to exist as a true form of alternative press
and those publishers unable to keep up with the expenses a tiny minority
of publishers can afford will either quit producing zines or be relegated
to small small press ( an even smaller market for newcomers to make their
mark in--and that certainly does not help anyone).
And remember that though this tiny minority of zine publishers might
be able to pay their contributors they will only have room for so many
contributors at any given time. That certainly does NOT offer
many opportunities for most newcomers to be published. Also, these
same publishers will be thinking mainly in terms of profit and will not be
as open to new writers as small press publishers not concerned with profits.
That minority of publishers will become increasingly like the BIG guys and
only go with writers with a proven reputation. Once again, the new
writers get relegated to the back of the bus. As a small press publisher
we have spent monies for all that darn expensive equipment to keep up zine
appearances with the competition and have yet to see where there will
be enough monies to be made to spare much for contributors. We
are in a "wait and see mode" before we return to paying contributors.
While we think it is nice to be able to pay contributors, we think
it is more important to stay afloat and offer a variety of markets for talented
newcomers. We plan to include a short bio of our contributors along
with their work and we will also include a link to their website (if they
have one). Some say it is not true that the net offers a place for
writers to promote themselves. Well, it does offer a better place than
published in print zines only as it reaches a substantially larger audience.
We offer our contributors both formats--on-line and in print. Plus
we will make a huge volume of information available about writers & writing,
zines & publishing, and a whole lot more. The best defense
against failure and the best chance for success is
knowledge.
ATTENTION: ALL WRITERS
AND BOOK & ZINE PUBLISHERS
We welcome your book/s and zine/s to be reviewed on our (NEW) website and
in our (NEW) printed publication, MIDNIGHT CAFE PRESS
REVIEWS plus in some of our other zines (both on-line and in print).
We review all books and zines sent to us, and we review
all urls (on-line zines) plus add them to our extensive recommended
links list on this website as well as some of our other sites. Multiple
issues are also reviewed if a publisher publishes more than one zine. We
review the following types of books and zines: mystery (Sherlock Holmes,
hard-boiled detective, all other mysteries), true crime, pulp, movie &
tv nostalgia, retro, pop-culture, fringe, quirky, medley, dark fantasy, horror,
vampire, occult, paranormal, conspiracy, scifi/fantasy, grrrlz, literary,
multi-cultural, Irish/celtic, British, Australian/ New Zealander, Canadian,
Native American, Old West/ western, historical, travel experiences, personal
journals/perzines, literary review, social commentary, writers & writing,
poets & poetry, art & artists.
We DO NOT review romance (unless gothic or
historical), erotica, hate propaganda, sports, music (unless
goth) or any book or zine promoting drug culture.
We run display/classified ads free-of-charge in the print version of
MIDNIGHT CAFE PRESS
REVIEWS as well as in our other printed zines. Any size or length
is acceptable.
We actively seek interviews via e-mail or by regular mail with writers and
publishers. We select them (to be interviewed) by the overall quality
of their books or publication/s. All interviews will be included at
MIDNIGHT ZINES CAFE plus at least 3 of our other
websites (note: at any one time we have 15 - 18 websites) and in two
or more of the print versions of our zines. At the
MIDNIGHT ZINES CAFE website you will find a listing
for our various websites and a listing of our print zines.
All of our zines are published both on-line and in print. The on-line
versions are free. Copies of the print versions vary in price. We
will provide a page with price listings. Meanwhile, e-mail us for
subscription information at
zinester@zworg.com or
zinester@buzzle.com We
publish zines, journals, newsletters, chapbooks, catalogues, plus an occasional
anthology or book. The first print version of MIDNIGHT
CAFE PRESS REVIEWS will be available in Fall 2000. It will
be published 3 times a year. It will be full size (8 1/2 x 11) and
70-80 pages (depending on volume of zines sent for review). The cost
is $6 plus $1.24 for postage (sent special 4th class book rate). We
accept checks or money-orders or cash.
Canada: Add $3 more for postage. Overseas: Add $4 more
for postage. Both Canada & Overseas must send a check or money-order
drawn on U. S. funds.
Make checks or money-orders ONLY to: Thomas Schellenberger.
(Enclose a S.A.S.E. with all inquiries.)
Email us for our mailing address at
zinester@zworg.com or
zinester@buzzle.com
ANNOUNCEMENT: We are currently
only publishing online (2002-during 2005) until further notice. Don't
send checks.
MIDNIGHT CAFE PRESS founded in October, 1998. It
is a subsidiary of BAKER STREET PUBLICATIONS
founded in January, 1983. FULL MOON
PUBLICATIONS is also a subsidiary.
Check out our Letters Column page
here.
We have different sections for the zines, a guidelines page, an extensive
list of recommended links, a small press page, plus a letters column, lots
of graphics, and webrings. The site is updated every 3-4 weeks.
We might add a bulletin board, too. Site last updated:
February 2006.
Come back and visit soon!
While the city sleeps Midnight
Zines Cafe is open.
We never
close.
These are not all of zines we publish but it is all that will be included
at this particular website. The following zines are or will be available
at our cafe:
Menu:
Midnight Cafe Press Reviews (Books & Zines)
Baker Street Gazette (Sherlock Holmes)
Jack the Ripper Gazette (the Ripper plus other Victorian
villians)
Sleuth Journal (all mystery categories
with emphasis
on hard-boiled detective and film noir)
The Haunted Journal (ghosts & haunted houses)
Nightshade (dark fantasy/horror)
Realm of Darkness (dark fantasy/horror poetry)
Olde Tyme Gothic Literature Page (new -- in-progress
-- online)
The Salem Journal (occult/paranormal)
Samhain Hall (Halloween -- new -- in-progress --
online)
Mummy Madness (new -- in-progress -- online)
Realm of The Vampire
Vampire Nights (fiction only)
Pen & Ink Writers Journal
Pen & Ink Poets Journal
Mixed Bag (lit/pop culture)
Hollywood Nostalgia (new -- in-progress -- online)
plus the Nocturnal Reporter--an in-depth look into
the realm of night creatures.
Be sure to visit our After Hours Links
&
Midnight
Cafe--devoted to cafe culture & coffee (new -- in-progress -- online).
Also includes a nostalgia section devoted to the 1950's.
CAT IN RESIDENCE
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND ANZWERS AS A WEBHOST. IT'S
THE BEST HOST ON THE INTERNET AND WE HAD SITES WITH A LARGE VARIETY OF WEBHOSTS.
ANZWERS IS ALWAYS ONLINE AND ALWAYS FAST. WE HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED
ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEM. THEY ARE EXTREMELY RELIABLE. WE JUST
WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW WHAT A GREAT JOB THEY DO.
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