Editorial matters

Gonzo – It's not just about the chickens

It's hard to believe, but it's been a year since the first instalment of TiconderogaOnline hit cyberspace. Issue 2 came out in May but after that, events conspired against us and we were forced into a temporary hiatus.

When Russell, Liz, Lee and myself sat down and worked out what we wanted from TiconderogaOnline, the one thing we all agreed on was Gonzo, that indefinable something that gave a story that “Gosh, wow” factor. Weird, avant-garde, edgy. Not only pushing the edge of the envelope but totally ripping it apart and rebuilding it from scratch. In my opinion, we achieved that goal when we showcased the talents of Martin Livings, Trent Jamieson, Geoff Maloney and Jay Caselberg. Brilliant writers all, who managed to achieve that unique tone that made their story something special.

So what happened to issue 3? Why didn't it follow hot on the heels of issue 2 as intimated in the site's guidelines? What prevented us from our sworn duty to uphold our Gonzo ideal?

A mundane little thing called Life ™.

If you read issue 2's editorial, you'll know about the trauma Lee and I experienced while in Brisbane last year. Happily it worked out well for us. Nemo turned into Connor and is now a healthy, thriving three month old.

Babies haven't been the only thing on the editorial staff's mind. We've all moved house. Rusty and Liz traded towns while Lee and I moved from one side of the river to the other. Now, anyone will tell you, don't move house when pregnant, but as I've pointed out to anyone who'll listen, other women nest, I find a new tree. In addition to this, Russell and Liz changed jobs and Lee and I began to prepare for our upcoming nuptials at the end of this month.

On the grand scheme of things, they're humdrum events, yet they were important and life altering.

Then, about a month or so ago, I woke up one morning, turned to my beloved and announced: “Let's get TiconderogaOnline up and running again.”

Lee jumped out of bed, ran the idea past the others and sent emails off announcing our return. Stories appeared within the hour (I'm not exaggerating). The reading process began in earnest. Six stories floated to the top of the pile as being contenders for the next issue. Discussions abounded and two were finalised. Authors were contacted and the issue began to take shape.

And here it is, the third instalment of TiconderogaOnline. It features stories from Martin Livings and Ben Peek and reviews by our own Russell B Farr, who also interviews Deborah Biancotti.

We hope you enjoy it.

I'd like to dedicate this issue to Connor James Battersby, who has taught Lee and I how that “Gosh, wow” factor works in humans.

Lyn Triffitt

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