Hello,

This is to announce that at the end of December, I will be stepping down as a fiction editor here.

I've been with Strange Horizons for a long time, and remember when it was a little grassroots project, back when hardly anyone believed a free online magazine with a volunteer staff and no corporate backing could ever be taken seriously. When I came aboard in 2003, the magazine was already proving it wasn't just a flash in the pan. We sought out new work by unknown writers, listened for voices we hadn't heard often enough, found and polished the gems, and simply published so much great stuff that Strange Horizons became a valuable part of the field, a place to find a wide mix of wonders and rising stars. We've stayed free and donor-funded and paid professional rates for stories. We've been our own bosses and we've cherished our authors and garnered a loyal community and it's been beautiful. I've loved working here.

Leaving the magazine feels like the end of an era for me — a span of time stitched together by hundreds of weekly phone meetings with my co-editors, Susan Groppi and Jed Hartman. The three of us have worked, fought, leaned on each other, and managed to run a flourishing Fiction department despite (or because of) vastly different personal styles, and I have mad love and respect for them both. I feel very lucky to have spent so much of my life in their company, and especially fortunate to have had Susan as my fabulous editor-in-chief for so many years.

My favorite part, though, has always been the editing itself. Working with an author on a story can be a thing of great joy. Sometimes the process is simple and straightforward; sometimes it ranges into deep, intense, or hilarious discussions of ideas and craft. Whenever we can get down to it, hammer and tongs, to make a story better — what a wonderful relationship that is, editor and author; and what a thrill to find the beating heart of a story together, and strengthen the beat. To all the writers who've gone through this with me at Strange Horizons: thank you, it's been a privilege.

Eight and a half years here has been a good run, and the decision to leave was a tough one for me to make, but I feel like I've done what I set out to do, and now it's time to move on to new projects. I will forever be proud of what we accomplished during these years. I have met dear friends through this magazine, and worked with brilliant writers. All in all, I've had a fantastic time being a Strange Horizons editor. I wish Niall and the crew all the best as the magazine continues to evolve and carry on into the future.