See what happens when you do this stuff at 2 in the morning???
We HAVE LETTERS!

Your lead story makes a difficult oral rendition, but as I had someone else here who got interested in it I had to read the story aloud, with some dramatic emphasis where necessary. I told her when asked that I regarded the story as avant-garde. She said it was maybe too avante-garde. I said, "I think it's intended to be avant-garde more than it is anything else."

Thomas R.'s poems achieve what he wants them to achieve, they were both diversions from the normal contemplation of life and led to an aftereffect including thought and mood change.

I'll look forward to Jerry's editorial. The Stupid Story reminded me of 8 1/2ed fandom. Proud to see my own verse in an illustrious issue. I note MST saying hello in your letter column; I myself mentioned the magazine on their board and now feel perhaps my posting brought some readers this way, an example of an action producing motion.

I'll be back again for the next ish!

John Thiel thiel@dcwi.com

Sorry, John. Now I have to apologize for castigating our readers for our letterlessness. You were there all the time. Now in response: The fact that you read the lead story out loud is impressive. Weird, but impressive. Is there really any such thing as "too avant-garde"? The story was meant to be Bewildering. Anything else is what the reader puts into it.

Thomas's poetry is deeper than he realizes. So there.

Happy you're happy.

Jerry speaking for Boskone... I mean the ET!

Hey, Jerry...

Heck, why not? Publish this as a letter in issue 9, please...

I've just read the issue 8 letters... That is one bewildering mess! My, your responses are funnier than mine! I almost got injured laughing my head off! Please, more!

The Invincible Spud

Well, thankee Spudato. I occasionally can be funny, although you wouldn't think so listening to my wife. And it is sad, here I am flaming our readers (all three of them) for not sending in a letter, and we have TWO of them. Just Pathetic.

Jerry for the Editorial Triumvirate...

If you would like your letter published in this section of an upcoming issue, please send your letter to bwstories@bewilderingstories.com with "LETTER SUB" in the subject line. If you would not like your letter published, do not include "LETTER SUB" in the subject line. Please put your name at the bottom if you would like it posted; otherwise, we will attribute it to "Anonymous." If you would like your name linked to your e-mail address, please include your preferred e-mail address below your name; otherwise, we will not post your e-mail address. Letters may be subject to editing and/or shortening (or miracle whip). Thanks!

—The Editorial Triumvirate