History

At the end of 2000, I left publishing and was missing working in the field. The zine was started in 2001. I was inspired by Gavin Grant at a Readercon that summer to start my own zine. I had a lot of contacts in the field from my work at Asimov’s and Tor Books. I felt there was something I could do that was more than just be a fan at conventions.

I started contacting people I knew to see if they would be willing to provide fiction for a new magazine. It was gratis work (work for a ‘good cause’ one of the authors called it) and something I hoped to fix some day. The first issue was mainly distributed for free at the annual SFWA Writers/Editors Banquet. From there I began selling subscriptions and single issues.

I’ve put out two issues a year without fail. Even when I was laid off I found a way to get that issue out. The first five issues were sorted, collated, folded, and stapled by me and friends. The zine is more professional looking these days, but I think it was good experience to start out touching every part of the process.

I was able to start paying authors in 2006 with issue #10. I also started publishing chapbooks that same year. I published three chapbooks (one a year) and stopped. In 2007 I received the first of three consecutive nominations for the World Fantasy Award.

I decided to look for a partner. I had taken Electric Velocipede as far as I could on my own. It was a lot of work, but as I started to have a family and start a new career, it was clear that I could not keep the magazine to my standards without help. Night Shade Books answered my call and came on as publisher in 2009. That same year I was nominated for and won the Hugo Award for Best Fanzine.

I’ve published a lot of authors that I enjoy reading, including, but not limited to: Liz Williams, Jeff VanderMeer, Jeffrey Ford, Catherynne M. Valente, Hal Duncan, Neal Barrett Jr., Alex Irvine, and many many more. If you’re curious as to exact contributors, click on the ISSUES link in the navigational bar to look at back issues.

And an interesting side note: the panel that inspired Electric Velocipede also inspired the following zines:Trunk Stories, Rabid Transit, Say…, and Full Unit Hookup.

John Klima
Electric Velocipede