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Comments for: Schlock!

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Not only has Gavin been running the page for years, he's one of the few places who give writers a chance to experiment. The result are usually interesting. Not to mention he has it out weekly, with additional quarterlies.

Awesome weekly zine been going on for years now

Gavin Chappell is a publisher/editor whose ego does not overwhelm his ezine and the writers who submit to him. He publishes a story within a week of receiving it instead of taking months to come to a decision. He doesn't make the writer jump through a thousand hoops concerning formatting, theme, etc before the humble writer DARES to submit their story to him. He is sane; too many other editors think they're running a billion dollar publishing company and that the writer should kneel to them. Gavin is THE ONLY editor I've dealt with who is NOT a walking/talking ego. Also, his ezine, Schlock, has persisted while I've seen other ezines (paying and non-paying; some with big production values, let's say) go under within four years of operation. Gavin and Schlock are still on the web, and tons are not. Probably because the egos of the editors kill the thing and people stop sending writing to them. Also, Schlock publishes a wide array of writing, not stuck on myopic themes or giving criteria (hoops to jump through) that is bizarre and ridiculous (serving the editor's ego, restricting the writer as to what THEY choose to write.) EX: send only stories about LGBT vampires but who don't bite and who live only in an urban setting … and who are incredibly boring and do nothing vampires do except suck the life out of the bloody story, all puns intended. Oh, yes, and the entire story should be told in first-person narration, but from the point of view of an inanimate object, like a toothbrush. (Sounds funny? This happens!!! Especially with non-paying ezines. Gavin isn't stupid enough to tell the writer what to write, but to look at a story as a story and publish it if it's half decent.) Also, so many ezine publishers tell the writer to send ONLY THEIR BEST STORY. Because, Lord knows, their ezine which does not pay and which they create in their parent's basement is WORTHY of only the best of the best -- whatever that is, depends on opinion -- and if it's not the best (another hoop) then do not send again until after 6 months have gone by and then only if the editor says its OK. WTF? Yes, Your Highness! That's the EGO I'm talking about. Editors are rabid dogs looking for tasty meat. Gavin Chappell is a human being amongst slathering dogs. Give any awards to Gavin. He deserves it because he doesn't think he's God. Rob Bliss

I love reading Schlock. Gavin does an excellent job of letting people develop their craft and some very good writers have started at Schlock.

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