Sad news. I've copied this over from the Fandango Virtual news page:

13 January 2006 Friday the Thirteenth (Fandango Black Friday) Apologies to the triskaidekaphobic among you, but this seemed an appropriate day to make the following announcements. Two years ago Fandango responded to reader and contributor requests to go to print with the fun-loving Gator Springs Gazette, printing and shipping it from the US. A year later we decided to produce the more serious Bonfire to be printed and shipped from the UK. While both attracted quality contributions, neither journal has ever operated in the black. With tireless support from hardworking unpaid volunteers, a small core of loyal subscribers and some generous offerings of cash from Friends of the Gator, the candle burned brightly from both ends, fuelled primarily by the salary from my day job. Alas, failing personal health resulted in the loss of that income and it is likely that I will never be able to return to work. We hoped our fiction contest would raise enough funds to keep things going a little while longer. Unfortunately, we fell far short of our expected target. As a result, we have decided to stop producing Gator Springs Gazette. Most of the existing subscriptions are due to expire with the next issue which will be our last. The final issue will be larger than ever, including all contracted works to date and the winners from the FV 2005 Fiction Contest. We are not sure when the final issue will be released, but we will print only the number of issues that are sold up to that date. No extra stock will be purchased. We are still reading the contributions previously received, but no submissions received after today's date will be read. Gator Springs Gazette will remain online until the final issue is released. We haven't yet given up on Bonfire. The excellent Winter Solstice issue will not be printed until we can clear some of our existing financial obligations. We would love to be able to produce Bonfire for at least another year, but we will not be able to do so unless we can sort out another source of funding. In the meantime, we will not be accepting any submissions until further notice. Over the next few weeks, we plan to have some fundraising activities, including discounts on Fandango stock and a virtual yard sale. Some personal items will be sold on eBay. During this time Fandango will keep an online presence, perhaps with a few surprises. Our first mystery novel will be available soon and others will follow over time. Updates will be added to the GSG and Bonfire sites over the next week and we will keep those of you who stay with this list informed of changes. Thanks to all of you for your continued interest and support.

I really love Gator Springs Gazette. I am so sorry to see it go. But I really love Bonfire too, and so glad it's staying on.


Ani

Sad news indeed, Ani. Let's hope they can raise the funds to keep Bonfire going. It's a lovely magazine.

Dee

I hope so. I love Bonfire.

I love Gator Springs Gazette. I will have to go into mourning after the last issue is produced.

I love Gator Springs too, but subscribe only to Bonfire, as it's produced in the UK and the postage makes a difference when you have quite a few subscriptions.

It would be a terrible shame if Bonfire ended - it's beautifully produced with great content. We all need these small magazines when we're starting to get published - without them the market for short stories would be narrow and horribly genre-led. So if you're thinking of taking out a subscription I can recommend it as one well worth the money.

Nell.

Sorry to hear this, Ani. It's so hard to keep lit journals going. I really admire anyone who tries to do it. Fingers crossed for Bonfire.

Roger.