Many of you on Facebook have probably already seen the update from Angel Luis Colón about his stepping down as editor, one of our notorious three or the Gauntlet as I like to call them, to focus more on larger writing projects and creative endeavors. He said some nice things in his farewell speech, and we will deeply miss his presence and his pet peeves. I do recommend you keep up with Angel, the dude has got it going on and I expect his flavor of fiction to really pop big in the future. Bookmark his website: angelluiscolon.com. Angel has a cool new podcast too.
Personally, Angel has been a good friend and adviser, and his Blacky Jaguar series provided me with a new perspective on the kind of books I want to publish with the Shotgun Honey imprint. Part crime, part thriller, part gonzo. I’m nudging him ever so NOT gently to finish with a trilogy, maybe you can nudge him too. Thank you Angel for 3 years of service.
So that leaves the Gauntlet with just two, Jen Conley and Nick Kolakowski, or does it?
The important part of the Gauntlet is that it contains three editors with varying backgrounds and points of view that allows Shotgun Honey not only discover good flash fiction but diverse voices. It started that way with Kent Gowran (whose crazy idea this was), Sabrina Ogden, and myself. Along the way Chad Rohrbacher, Chris Irvin, Erik Arneson, and Joe Myers filling in as editors moved on.
I am happy to welcome Renee Asher Pickup as the newest Gauntlet member. I’ve gotten to know Renee over the last couple years through her various editorial efforts, her occasional columns and stories. Like with the editors before her, she loves the genre and has her own POV and unique style. As a former Marine, a talented writer, and strong individual (not in that order) I think she is a perfect successor to Angel’s vacancy.
About Renee Asher Pickup
Renee Asher Pickup is Marine Corps vet and mellowed out punk living in Southern California. Renee writes fiction about bad things happening to flawed people, nonfiction that is critical of the status quo, and truly believes From Dusk Till Dawn changed her life. You can find her blogging at Do Some Damage every Friday, or having a drink and talking about the highs, lows, and horrors of romantic comedies at her podcast Mandatory Happy. Her novel with Andrez Bergen: Black Sails, Disco Inferno is available now from Open Books.