Editor Interview: Quail Bell Magazine

The magical and quirky

I am an avid reader of periodicals of all kinds! My reading habits are somewhat esoteric but I consistently look for a union of unique topics, strong stories, intriguing visuals, clean design, and an evident respect for the human condition. A few of the current publications I admire most are Bust, Fae, Gothic Beauty, The Washington City Paper, Virginia Living Magazine, Cricket, and The Cyberpunk Apocalypse.

I'm more of a "piece by piece" than an "author by author" type of person, so here are some books writers interested in submitting to Quail Bell should check out: Love in the Time of Cholera, Jude the Obscure, Skellig, The Pillow Man, The Jack Daniels Sessions EP, Equus, The Lais of Marie de France, Dragon's Milk, El Cid, Lolita.

We interview the small names. We pay attention to the artists and writers who may not have fame or success but at least they have talent. We also interpret genres more broadly and instead look more for pieces that convey the Quail Bell "feel." We're not just another fairy fan magazine.

Read the magazine! It is full of diverse content but, again, everything has the QB "feel." It is easier to observe what that style and vibe is than to try to understand it through a brief description.

Original. Captivating. Strange. Submitted according to submission guidelines.

Format!

A brief biography (100 words or fewer) suffices. It can be kooky or professional. I frankly don't care about credentials. I care about the work.

It really depends.

Once the writing's accepted, it's accepted, but before we publish it, the staff often considers what kind of visual should accompany it. I want the magazine to be visually stunning.

I read, I meet with staff members, I email contributors, I write, I edit writing, I draw, I photograph, I tape video...really, every day is different. I can thank my rich background in art, writing, film, journalism, and leadership for giving me the skills to do this interdisciplinary job.