Fantastic Metropolis

Luís Rodrigues: You mentioned the positive criticism the magazine’s looks have received. Do you like to think its physical aspect contributes to a greater enjoyment of the stories inside, or do you trust readers won’t judge the book by its cover?

D. F. Lewis: Yes, I’ve heard that comment time and time again. I am certain that stories act differently according to their context of presentation—or they may even be different! The Nemonymous covers I’ve wanted to be as neutral as possible. A few years ago, I caused a lot of stir in Scavenger’s Newsletter when I recommended that fiction magazines should be stripped of all artwork. This was for various reasons, but mainly, I recall, for what I called ‘pictorial privacy’. The logo designs on the two current parts of Nemonymous have been a sort of compromise between this required plainness and an inscrutable attractiveness. The cover designer, I feel, has been spot on with my requirements.

Luís Rodrigues: I couldn’t help noticing that Nemonymous Two has a darker and more consistent feel than the previous issue. Do you plan to keep steering it in this direction? Are you concerned with finding “the right tone” for the magazine?

D. F. Lewis: That’s strange, because I’ve had quite contrary views expressed about the differences between the two current parts (as well as conflicting views on the stories themselves—and I wonder if this is a symptom of the Nemonymous approach). Yes, I have been trying for a specific tone and identity, but this has been rather by trial and error. I think I may have gained more experience by the second part. After all, part one was my first ever attempt at publication and at editing. I’ll have to leave it for others to judge. The real problem for me has been giving people the opportunity to judge (i.e. marketing and distributing it!)

Luís Rodrigues: The internet has certainly played an instrumental role in its promotion, yes?

D. F. Lewis: Well, yes. But, again, this is all a bit paradoxical. I consider that my recent loss of faith in my own work stems from the Internet. With all the stories I got published on websites, I lost track of my own bibliography! My focus vanished. So, I thought I would use the Internet as the underpinning of a print outlet (which turned out to be Nemonymous). This seemed appropriate so as to maintain my own anonymity within its covers! It has a website as its sole printed address. I also have a newsletter that contains submission guidelines, reviews, sponsorships, competitions, comments, ground-breaking ‘loan copies of Nemonymous for writers’ etc.—via a series of Veils and Piques (which I consider to be very successful).

Luís Rodrigues: You are currently accepting submissions for Nemonymous Three, which is due out next year. What do writers seeking nemonymity need to do?

D. F. Lewis: Please contact nemonymous@hotmail.com for submission guidelines and apprisal of the essential veils & piques!

Luís Rodrigues: And now, the inevitable question: any advice you’d like to give short story writers out there?

D. F. Lewis: I’m the last person who should do this. I have received plaudits and brickbats all my writing life. Yet I never wrote ‘standard’ stories! I do know, though, a nemonymous story when I see one.

Luís Rodrigues: Thank you very much for this interview, and best of luck to Nemonymous!

D. F. Lewis: Thanks, Luís. Hope that at least some of what I said made sense in the context of this slippery nemo creature. It has so many tentacles and control-points, I feel that I’m the magazine and it is the editor.