79.

copies. Since I am expecting the operation to grow the ability to print larger runs is essential.

Many of you have fervently urged that the magazine become a monthly. Handling it the way I have had to do date this was a physical and human impossibility--there simply isnt time to do all that would be required. However with the plans outlined here, Bob's assistance, outside typing, increased subscriptions if the ads draw, and other changes, monthly publication becomes a practical possibility. This issue is a sort of transition issue being partly organized by the new procedures and partly done in the old way. The December issue should see us opera- ting largely under the new scheme, and if it works out well, we might, just might--no promises, be able to get into the monthly bit early next year.

There is one essential detail to this monthly idea however, and that is that it would eat up material twice as fast as pres- ently, so get out your pens and let us have histories, stories, poems, articles, discussions,etc. Remember! TRANSVESTIA is a magazine OF, BY and FOR TV8. and readers are still a vital part of its progress in more ways than just subscription money.

With the above outlined plans and methods I am planning to publish a number of other separate stories. But rather than doing these in a commercially acceptable form to begin with, as I am doing with the first story, I plan to publish an edition first to be sold to TRANSVESTIA subscribers at a lower price. This can be done because I will print it by less expensive means of reproduction. The income from these sales can then help pay the costs of a proper, salable commercial edition. These stories on newstands will in turn attract more subscribers into TRANS- VESTIA'8 lists and provide more income, more material and more new friends and correspondents for all of you. So you see, great things are afoot but it will take a little time.

You will note in this issue that the pictures are printed on"pebble finish" paper. The quality of photo reproduction on slick paper is not to good by offset printing. I went to slick paper as sort of a "status symbol" for a magazine, but like a lot of other things in life it doesn't seem to be such a good idea now. Future issues will all be on such paper. Also I am abandoning saddle stitching for book type--it looks much better. The Editor