As usual I ship pre-orders and subscriptions first and will then double back to get out copies to those in the issue.  For those photogs who wish to get the promo copies to their people let me know as this will save me time and some expense.  For those of you who are super busy yourself and want to have the models contact me directly - that's fine too just have them identify who they are and who they shot with.
 
Taboo
Working Taboo through the weekend, new gallery with the beginnings of page layouts here:

password is tabu

I am excited to mention that we've got some work from two artists who I feel really hit the "taboo" element of this...   One had an image in Retro Lovely No.1, Martin Class. The other I've seen his work here and there and always it catches me and there is something about it that just has me study it....  Chas Ray Crider, he's got this book Hotel Fetish which I think I need to buy now.  OK I know I will.
I need to hustle on this in order to deliver in October. I like hitting the mark with our estimates.
 
Cover Contest
I'm seeing more of you mention the contest in your promotions. I've heard form quite a few of you now noting that this effort has indeed provided results in stepping up interest / bookings. FAN THOSE FLAMES.  I'd even go so far as to further encourage all who've been in Retro Lovely to tout "We regularly submit work to Retro Lovely".  For those in the Pinup Syndicate, through that in as well as it is actually gaining some traction as a branding...  I've googled it and find hits on it, it's got value.  Some among you I have extended "standing pages" in each issue. This as a direct result of you having done some heavy lifting promotionally and having been around from way back when this was just an idea and you still listened to me and pitched in.  While I am still not certain how to identify those syndicate members who will be in each and every issue... feel free to market to that, I have no problem with you stating "I will have work in every issue of Retro Lovely".

Now if you're not one of those parties and I find you stating this... we will not be working together in any capacity in the future.
 
Bi-Monthly in 2011
I am of the opinion from a financial standpoint we will be able to go bi-monthly in 2011  (going monthly is not for lack of valid content mind you, it's a) money to do so and b) time for me to be able to put them together and do all the shipping etc...  it's just me back in the office, save for my copy editor once every 3 months)  Monday or Tuesday will be spent moving a few thousand lbs. of magazine from the curb, to the house, to the basement, some upstairs to ship, go to the post office, UPS...  I'll lose 10 lbs and be sore as hell by Wednesday....  Bring it. 

But back to the bi-monthly bit...  I think we can do this and I am looking to set up a schedule where in 2011 we have issues in February, April, June, August, October and December...  Early in each month so think in terms of the issues needing to be in the month before... late.  Production-wise this means having them to the printer a month ahead of that.  For February we need to go to press late in November, first week of December.

I want to shift production away from this roller coaster of a mark on the wall, all working toward it and then me having a ton of work all at once....

 

To a system where work is submitted on-going....

 

And then when images and such hit that I know we want to run... we work up those pages and put them into a staging area with a notion that they will run in the next issue coming down the line.  There will be incentive here to get work in early as it's possible an issue could fill up before what would have been a deadline for submissions...  This could give some...  opportunity to get more work in play.  It may require from time to time me saying that some images/pages are "candidates" but not locked in... so a few people don't bum rush me with great work and others have a hard time to get something in.  This does not undermine those of you with standing space in each issue, unless of course you don't get work in by the point we need to run.

I think this could actually make things a bit more smooth for me.
Moreover I think going bi-monthly will do a few productive things for the project as a whole:

First, we get to market to this. Of those pinup magazines, existing and about to come online, it shows Retro Lovely is growing, gaining steam and "the one to watch".

Second, it provides you all more opportunities to get work featured, you could literally begin to note in your advertising that your association with Retro Lovely has helped the magazine grow and as a result of it going to 6 issues per year means more opportunities for your clients to be published.

Third, this and ongoing gains in sales sets the stage for the brand to be taken seriously down the road by larger publishing concerns. By this I mean a day will come where I hope to be able to enter into discussions with larger publishers about teaming with us.  If growth continues a turning point will occur where I won't be able to handle it solo.  Immediately, right off the bat, if another publisher would see potential and be able to step in and take over the work post getting the layout files together this would return back to me a ton of time.
 
Traditional Rod and Kulture
Some of you may have noticed in the proofing galleries for No.3 the full page ad that is running for Traditional Rod and Kulture Magazine. Below is the half page ad of Retro Lovely's that is included in their December issue. I won't fully get into all the details as to how this has come to be but I must thank Holly West for this as it would not be in play were it not for her. TRK has an exponentially larger circulation than we do so this opportunity to get in front of so many could be very important in our growth. While we will have more copies of issue No.3 on hand than any previously a fraction of a percentage of their audience buying a copy of Retro Lovely might just have us in that "oh shit we're almost out again" place.  Depending on the sort of impact this has it could well set us down a road to continue this and possibly expand on it.

Get their current issue while I think of it.... It's got some great great features.  In fact the very sort of features that keeps me from doing similar in Retro Lovely.

Cheers