It's here!  UPS has delivered a copy of the latest issue of Realms of Fantasy.  I've flipped through it and everything.  It's real.  It's in my hands.  We're back.

The magazine should also be shipping out today from the printers to eventually find its way to newsstands, subscribers, and those participating in our blog giveaway.  I hope you guys like it, I believe most of you will, and I'm confident future issues will only get better.

Since I now have a copy in hand, I have no problems sharing the official TOC for our first issue back:

--"Our Lady of Scarlet" by Tanith Lee
--"Healing Benjamin" by Dennis Danvers (all you sensitive types should keep your tissues close at hand for this one!)
--"Digging for Paradise" by Ian Creasey
--"Well and Truly Broken" by Bruce Holland Rogers

You'll also find an editorial in this issue from Shawna, and a publisher's note from Warren.  I should point out that while I'm listed as the Art Director for this issue, beyond having a hand in the cover I had very little to do with this issue's art.  We had a number of items in inventory from the Sovereign transfer.  We still have some Sovereign inventory left, but we should burn through what's left in the next few issues.  Then it's all on me.

Our official premiere is going to be at this year's Readercon from July 9th-12th.  Warren and I will be giving out free copies of the August issue while supplies last.  If you're going to be there, hunt us down to get a copy!

I must say, I'm feeling a bit tingly with pride right now.  I also want to take a minute to thank a few folks who have been so extremely helpful to me along the road to getting this first issue out:

--John Joseph Adams who seemingly has contact information for everyone!  Without your ultimate roledex, I would've been scaling Mount Everest instead of the Catskills.

--My predecessor at Sovereign Media, Laura Cleveland, for being kind enough to answer every question I had as I got settled into my new positions.  I will do my best to carry on the torch!

--Irene Gallo at Tor for going above and beyond the call of duty in providing suggestions and links and general good advice as I got settled into being the art director.  The spec art world is lucky to have her!

--My nonfiction columnists--Jeff Vandermeer, Paul Witcover, Matt Staggs, Michael Jones, Karen Haber, Mia Nutick, Resa Nelson, Ari Berk, and Kristen McDermott--all made life easier for me with their passion, enthusiasm, and professionalism.  My thanks, my thanks, my thanks.

--Thanks to all of the artists who are working on something now.  Their illustrations may not be appearing in this issue, but the fact that I've been able to recruit such amazing talent while I get our production schedule going again puts my mind at ease for future issues.

--Thanks to Shawna for letting me draw on her wealth of experience and for putting in the good word with Warren early on!  Also, thanks for keeping our working relationship as pleasant as ever even though the dynamic has changed somewhat thanks to my promotions.

--Warren gets the most thanks of all.  Thanks for saving the magazine.  Thanks for keeping me around as assistant editor.  Thanks for the promotions.  Thanks for letting me draw on your experience.  Thanks for the encouragement, the belief in my work, for following up on everything, and for making yourself so available despite your crazy levels of busyness.  Thanks for caring enough to want to do Realms of Fantasy right.  I can't wait to see what else you have up your sleeve going forward!

--I'd also like to thank all the authors and artists for being so patient with us during this process.  I know some further patience is still required on some fronts, but we're getting closer all the time to being all systems go, and your patience makes it easier for us to reach this point.

--And of course, thanks to our readers.  Your response from the day RoF was cancelled by Sovereign up until now has been truly made of awesome.

If I missed anyone who deserves thanks, accept my apologies.  I had a list, but it has vanished into the ether!  

Again, I hope you all enjoy the first issue back.