"Zeeler's Boomerang", an anthology celebrating Gazeta SF's first 3 years

Short fiction has a hard living. Despite very often being more efficient and effective, short fiction tends to be neglected in comparison with its longer relative. It is no different in Romania or if we are to examine more closely the issue there can be found a world of difference. There are a handful of genre magazines on the Romanian market that make a stand for the speculative fiction in particular and reading in general. But most of these magazines live on the online medium and as praiseworthy as their efforts are too many times it looks like Sisyphean work. Casting an eye on the important online publications from the English genre market one can notice the professional and semi-professional rates operated by most of them or at least some sort of compensation is offered to the writers. In Romania, with an exception or two, such a well-deserved compensation for the writers is non-existent. Not that the magazines do not desire to offer such material appreciation for the published authors, but they do not make any sort of money from publication, advertising or a different sort of revenue. It is voluntary work at its finest, but also a dire and sad situation. However, I like to maintain my optimism even in what seems like times of little hope. I like to believe it is not mere wishful thinking, all our writers, all these magazines and editors continue to put their efforts behind these projects and in the end that has to count for something, the entire circumstances must begin to change. Someday things must move towards normalcy, the writers and editors must be valued as they deserve to be. I do hope that starts to happen sooner rather than later.

One example of such endeavor is Gazeta SF (The SF Gazette), an online magazine of speculative fiction and art, supported by a group of writers, editors and fans, which celebrated three years of existence in December. Three years of bringing each month on the Romanian speculative fiction market short stories of quality, essays, articles and opinions about the genre. Three years of making a difference for the local genre. To celebrate this milestone Gazeta SF’s editors put together an anthology of 32 of the best stories published in the first three years of the magazine’s existence. “Zeeler’s Boomerang” (Bumerangul lui Zeeler), as is entitled this anthology, is available for free, in a PDF format, due to our unfortunate situation I mentioned already. I hope though that the editors would consider putting into print this very interesting collection, perhaps in a limited edition for those who would like one such book, and maybe in the near future even making an English edition to promote our established and new writers of speculative fiction outside Romania’s borders too. Who knows, maybe I can see both my wishes fulfilled. To see all my hopes expressed here realized would be even better.

“Children of Darkness” (Copiii întunericului) by Alexandru Lamba

“Diplomatic Connections” (Relații diplomatice) by Florin Pîtea

“The Queen” (Regina) by Bogdan Lazăr

“Kowalski '67” (Kowalski '67) by Teodora Matei

“Last Station, Timbuktu” (Ultima stație, Timbuctu) by Recheșan Gheorghe

“A Look of Blue” (Albastrul din privire) by Alexandra Niculae

“Zeeler’s Boomerang” (Bumerangul lui Zeeler) by Marian Dumitrașcu

“The Letter of Mil Neajlov from Deveselu to His Brother, Grigorie, from Craiova” (Scrisoarea lui Mil Neajlov din Deveselu către fratele său, Grigorie, din Craiova) by Adrian Buzdugan

“The Ark” (Arca) by Paul-Teodor Ivan

“Kill” (Kill) by Ana Veronica Mircea

“Beyond the Shadows” (Dincolo de umbre) by Cătălina Fometici

“The Gullet’s Pleasure” (Plăcerea gâtlejului) by Dadal Cristinel

“Bloodied, The Moon” (Însângerată, luna) by Oliviu Crâznic

“The Scrawny Man” (Uscățivul) by Raluca Băceanu

“My Small Contribution to the End of the World” (Mica mea contribuție la sfârșitul lumii) by Sergiu Someșan

“Dreaming of Mart Senson” (Visându-l pe Mart Senson) by Liviu Surugiu

“Diaphanousness” (Diafanitate) by Aurelia Chircu

“Mrs. Fly’s Case” (Cazul doamnei Fly) by Teodora Gheorghe

“The Finite Infinite, The Infinite Finite and Other Aggravations” (Infinitul finit, finitul infinit și alte bătăi de cap) by Mircea-Nanu Muntean

“Double Light” (Lumină dublă) by Ovidiu Bufnilă

“The Long Way to Grey” (Lungă-i calea către gri) by Ştefana Czeller

“Chasing a Sunbeam” (Alergând după o rază de soare) by Ioana Vișan

“The Bridge of Lost Dreams” (Podul viselor pierdute) by Manuela Moroșanu

“The Death of the Master of Illusions” (Moartea stăpânului iluziilor) by Liviu Radu

“This Story Will Prevail” (Această povestire va rămâne) by George Sauciuc

“A New Beginning” (Un nou început) by Cătălin Cofaru

“The Pilot” (Pilotul) by Anișoara Peţa

“Agnus Dei” (Agnus Dei) by Florentin Haidamac

“Twilight with Still Life” (Amurg cu natură moartă) by Alin Dărângă

“2049” (2049) by Marcel Gherman

“The Crossing” (Traversarea) by Daniel Barbu

“In Search of Happiness” (În căutarea fericirii) by Adrian Sand