A Nip Here, A Tuck There...

Ah, yes. It's been a little while since my last posting ("Your last posting was on May 3rd Mike!!!") Umm, err ... yes. Yes it was. May 3rd. Correct. I, uh, don't suppose it helps to say that I've been intending to post something does it? Didn't think so.

So, anyway, what's been happening in the world of ESC! you ask? Not much. I always take a few weeks to decompress and step away from it after a new issue is released. As you may have realized from my previous posts, I tend to bring everything together in the course of just a couple weeks before the release date. To me, that's an inherent advantage to being small press. When something gets pulled or a release form doesn't make it to me in time, I have the flexibility to make any last minute substitutions I need to. On the other hand, with my full time job, family and other obligations, those last two weeks before release are doozies! And so ... I take a break afterward.

There have been some exciting things happening however!

I've already selected the artwork for the Fall issue's cover and it's a great piece. I won't say too much about it yet as I haven't got all the agreements in place, but I will mention that the artist has been shown in galleries as far away as Osaka, Japan and as close as Las Vegas, Nevada. She lists her primary influences as Jazz music and African art but I was particularly drawn (no pun intended - okay, yes it was) to the section of her bio where she mentions the influence of writers on her work such as Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Oscar Wilde and Theodore Dreiser.

The issue itself is pretty much complete at this point - at least as far as the selection of content. I hope to have the bulk of the layout done much earlier than normal as I will be on the road quite a lot when it comes out in October and I just won't have the time for procrastination!

There've been some slight changes to the website as well. I've finally nixed that long loathed bottom menu and replaced it with a much easier to read version. In addition, I've finally moved the content to the center of the screen. For most people I don't expect that made much difference, but for those of you running higher resolution screens, it will no longer be out of alignment with the bottom menu.

I've yet to add this blog's link to the top menu but I keep expecting to complete the much anticipated make-over of the site and it just keeps getting pushed off. One of these days... one of these days.

Until next time....

Wow. That's Just About All I Can Say. Wow.

ESC! Magazine had its biggest download day in recorded history* on April 26th - one day after the release of our new issue.

On April 26th, our servers recorded 103 downloads of the Spring 2005 issue alone. For the single week encompassing 4/25 - 5/2, there were 229 downloads of the new issue.

In my book that deserves a "Wow."

Running stats on each day last week, I can see a definite pattern in the downloads. Surprisingly they began late Monday night. I didn't get the issue uploaded until 10:30pm and, yet, there were a fair number of downloads that took place in the last hour and a half before midnight.

Does that mean people were ... waiting for the new issue? Could I go so far as to say eagerly anticipating?

Another interesting thing I noted when reviewing the stats is that there was not one, single, PDF download on the weekend. That is, April 30th or May 1st. Not one. Then, on Monday, the downloads picked right back up again. In fact, they were double what they were the previous Friday.

Does that mean people are only downloading their issues of ESC! while "on the clock?" It sure would seem that way wouldn't it?

I certainly don't expect the same level of downloads to continue until the new issue is released this Fall. I mean, after all, my audience is somewhat ... focused, but it sure is great to know so many are in circulation.

If you've read the issue, please drop me a line to let me know what you thought. I'm eager to get your feedback to help shape future issues of the magazine.

*ASIDE: "Recorded History" for the ESC! Magazine web site stats goes back to April 2004. That's when I really started keeping track of the downloads.