Our support for independent publishers began when we were working at a chain bookstore. As a reader, there is always that need for something fresh, for something different and invigorating. For our own enjoyment, we started to order anthologies printed by these small presses.
It was interesting to discover not only the quality of the content, but the passion and imagination that went into the collaborative form. We had been exchanging stories for a while and had always talked of collaborating on something. Eventually, the idea arose of starting our own publication. It would allow us to not only exhibit the work of rising authors, but to strengthen our own writing and editing skills.
As Anthony recalls, “Writing isn’t only about getting published. I realized this while browsing along through the science-fiction and horror section, as I often did on the clock. There on the shelf was a collection of tales inspired by Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos. I opened the book to find many writers whom I’d never heard of before, with such ambition and so much to be told regarding the same topic. There was a sense of community within the pages.”
Around the same time - while trading stories and sharing feedback - we realized the communion between our own writing styles, which usually contained elements of the dark and macabre. What we wanted to accomplish with our small publication was to bring together authors with similar visions. For some writers, there isn’t that local coffee shop offering poetry readings, or the bookstore employed by twenty other aspiring writers. They don’t have the capability of turning to a living person that will encourage their craft and push them to submit their work.
After researching the market, we came up with an original idea - a collection of transgressive fiction. Another common ground we shared was an affinity for Chuck Palahniuk. So far as we knew nobody had done an anthology of transgressive tales, and Chuck Palahniuk was (to us) one of the greatest modern writers of fiction. Naturally, we tied the two together and Seven Archons was born of a marriage between the love of writing and the love of reading.
That brings us back to the statement: “Writing isn’t only about getting published.”
Writing is a journey. You meet other writers, or work with other writers across the globe, and develop relationships. It shouldn’t be a competition. We write for the love of the art, and started Seven Archons for the love of our fellow writers. We need to look out for one another, to help build careers and forge bonds. There must be cohesion between the writers and the editors. Only then can the fantastic stories of our generation’s authors be told.
Seven Archons is a new publishing imprint based out of Western Massachusetts. Currently, they are actively seeking stories for their first anthology “Writings On The Wall”. If anyone is interested, the guidelines can be viewed at their new forum here
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