[Today we sit down for a quick interview with Carl Ellis. An author and editor, Ellis is launching a new fantasy/horror zine entitled Ichor Magazine. Here, Ellis discusses his plans for Ichor, the submissions that interest him, and his inspiration for the project.]

Forests Haunted by Holiness: In September you will launch the new fantasy/horror magazine, Ichor. First, congratulations! Second, how did this project come about? Why did you decide to create Ichor?

Carl Ellis: Thank you! I’m really excited to get our first submissions and see what we can put together. I decided to create Ichor for two reasons: first, to fill the space of an amateur magazine for sword & sorcery, and secondly to read more stories that I love.

We are in a new golden age of pro/semi-pro rate publications such as New Edge Sword & Sorcery, Old Moon Quarterly, and Crimson Quill Quarterly. However, there are not enough entry level markets to help get new authors their first publication and the ego/exposure boost that brings. I want to help solve that problem.

FHBH: What sort of submissions are you looking for? What kinds of stories do you want to feature in Ichor?

CE: I am looking for short stories, between 1500-2500 words, that have a focus on horror, embodiedness, weirdness, and narrative complexity. This could be sword & sorcery, dark fantasy, or something else entirely (surprise us!). I don’t have an expectation that characters have a happy ending, nor that anything turns out okay. I want to be riveted by a journey, through time, space, or the mind.

We will score each submission on the above categories (we call it a HEWN score), and the top 10 we will publish.

FHBH: Once Ichor is published, where will curious readers be able to find? And will it be available in both print and digital, or digital only?

CE: I plan to use a hybrid model for Ichor: free on digital, paid for print. This means that our authors can get the exposure they need, we can easily solicit for reviews, and the barrier to reading us is as low as possible.

If people want to support the magazine and see future issues, they can buy a print copy, of which the proceeds will be used for the following issues. Once we have a few issues under our belt, then we can see if revenue lets us increase pay-rates, or commission art.

Our epub/pdfs will be available everywhere I can put them: DriveThru, Itch, PayHip, and our own website for example.

Print will be available as an Amazon POD which will maximise availability and the future issues that unlocks.

FHBH: Appendix N is a well-known tradition in the D&D community, so you created an Appendix I for Ichor — tales that inspired you. How did you go about creating the list? Were there any that you absolutely had to include? Will you be adding more as time passes?

CE: I think the hardest thing about starting a new publication is communicating what sort of stories you are looking for. Appendix I is my way of helping to steer that conversation.

Sevarian and the Alzebo, Roland and Jake at the Waystation, Necromancers of Zothique, Rainer’s journey to the drowned city, the Bishop’s chthonic journey, and Liane’s folly are all on the list as they are exactly the vibes I am looking to see in the submissions. They each have a sense of dread hanging over them, are utterly weird, and the mode of storytelling across the list is incredibly varied and interesting.

I will be adding to the list over time, especially as we find our voice through the next publications. Hopefully with authors that first published with us!