Looking Ahead

Daniel K. Appelquist

Some good news for those of you in search of back issues... There is now an anonymous FTP server for Quanta back issues. It exists at the address fed.express.cs.cmu.edu (128.2.209.58). It contains all back issues (including this one) in both PostScript and Ascii format. The relevant directories are /quanta/ascii and /quanta/postscript. I believe this service should be useful to both Internet and Bitnet users (the latter can access the site via BitFTP servers)

Well, as you may have noticed, this issue is a bit long. This may be partially due to Faye Levine's new story, _The Babysitters_. I'm excited about Faye's material but if her story size keeps growing at its current rate, we'll have to rename the magazine Faye Levine Quarterly! At any rate, Faye wants people to know that this story takes place some years after the events in _One_, her story from last issue, but eighteen years before _Dinner at Nestrosa's_, the excerpt from her yet-to-be-published novel _Revolution_ which we published in our December issue of last year.

We really have a block-buster lineup this issue. Jason Snell's story _Sharp and Silver Beings_ for one. You may remember Jason's story _Into Gray_ which appeared in the first issue of Quanta as well as his article _Cyberpunk's a Label Like Any Other_ from last issue. We also have a Quanta first: a sequel. Specifically, a sequel to Christopher Kempke's very popular story _Going Places_, published in the first issue. Craig Levin, in his semi-regular science column, brings us some information and speculation on the existance of extra-terestrial life right here in our own solar system. We also have several newcomers this issue. Cerise Palmer, Phillip Nolte, and Kenneth Kousen all have donated excellent stories and I hope they continue to do so. I also hope to see more work from new faces in the future. If you have a story you'd like to submit, send it along to me.

You may be noticing the specific lack of a sequel to Thomas Hand's _Ice Ball_ from last issue. Not to worry! We'll be seeing more of Terri's adventures in issues to come.

At this point, I'd like to ask all of you some questions. Specifically, I'd like to poll all of you about your feelings on Quanta. If you have a second, answer the following questions and send your answers back to me. Be sure to include the word "poll" in your subject header.

Reader Poll

  1. How much interest do you have in the non-fiction articles appearing in Quanta?
  2. How would you rate the overall quality of Quanta?
  3. Of the issues you've read so far (including this one) which issue of Quanta would you say is your favorite?
  4. What has been your favorite piece (Story, Poem or Article) so far?
  5. What has been your least favorite piece (Story, Poem or Article) so far?
  6. What would you like to see more of?
  7. What would you like to see less of?
  8. Do you have any suggestions concerning the typesetting of the magazine?
  9. Any other comments/complaints.

    I'll be waiting to hear your comments. Feel free to elaborate on your answers. If you have ANY comment on Quanta you'd like me to hear, don't hesitate to send it along. I'd like very much initiate a letters column next issue, but to do this I need letters!

    One last note. If you're not going to be able to receive Quanta during the summer and you'd like me to temporarilly cancel your subscription and then reinstate it for next year, drop me a line. I don't want to be sending Quanta to people who aren't going to be there to receive it.

    Enough ramblings from me. Enjoy this issue of Quanta!


    Quanta is Copyright(c)1994 Daniel K. Appelquist.
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