Dear Reader:

You will notice definite changes from the past with this issue of Writer's Cramp. First you'll see that we no longer present our content in frames. This is done for two reasons, one, so search engines have an easier time finding us and two, so navigation and page display is cleaner and easier. If you bookmark a story or your favorite section of the Cramp, the URL is more descriptive of what you've marked in your browser files. You'll also notice graphical enhancements here and there as well, so whenever you see a WC icon it's not purely egotistic, that's your link back to the home page. On the opening page of our site is a Call For Submissions notice. Writer's Cramp is accepting short stories, novellas, poetry, essays and fiction specific to the genres of suspense, detection, science fiction, horror and terror. (With leeway for very good humor fiction as well.)

We are working very hard to be in a position to offer financial incentive to our contributors within the next few months, so there will be monetary reciprocity for those submissions accepted for publishing within Writer's Cramp in the near future. So start sending in your work. Please read a few of the pieces published over the past year or two to see what kinds of content we prefer. You'll find ample evidence in our Archives section.

Now to the current issue's content. Ronald Carpenter began an experiment two years ago in which he thought to write in the style of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but not something relatively easy like The Lost World, Mr. Carpenter had the audacity to attempt to revive Doyle's most famous and, to Doyle himself, his most bothersome creation, Sherlock Holmes. This was a daring and a dangerous embarkation for any writer, but after reading Carpenter's first few correspondences and witnessing the ease with which he assumed the mantle of Doctor John Watson, the future of his success was evident. We encouraged, cajoled, courted and wheedled until his first short story saw print in our pages. We are the fortunate first to publish Mr. Carpenter's brilliant work and we have been honored to publish successive forays into Victorian London and the circle of the unstoppable Mr. Holmes.

One reader sent this appraisal of Mr. Carpenter's finesse and mastery of the subject and style, “…a Brobdingnagian talent…captures faithfully and embellishes upon a body of work so familiar few would even dare the attempt.”

It is with pleasure and confidence that we offer the entire trilogy of Ronald Carpenter's "Brobdingnagian" and endearingly entertaining homage to the cultural icon and the warm, comforting partnership/friendship of Sherlock Holmes and Dr. John Watson. Let it be known these are only the first. The game is still afoot!

RGL