As you may remember, in order to get back to the US (go to conventions, see Kevin, etc.) I need to be able to get a visa. The only way this is ever likely to happen (short of miracles) is if I have a business that requires me to go to science fiction conventions. So I have started one.

This is doubtless going to get me into all sorts of trouble, but hopefully it will also do a lot of good. Much of the thinking that went into it was along the lines of, “if I have to start a business, how can I do most good for the community with it.” Bearing in mind, of course, that I don’t have huge sums of money to invest and lose.

The thing that is likely to attract most comment is the magazine, Salon Futura, which is scheduled for launch at Worldcon. This is not a re-launch of Emerald City. It is very much a paying venue, despite being non-fiction. I have always believed that people who write non-fiction well deserve just as much payment and adulation as those who write fiction well. Also, if Wizard’s Tower is to be a credible business, it has to pay people good money.

Note that the payment rule doesn’t apply to me. I will be writing material for Salon Futura to begin with, but I don’t see it as an exercise in self-publishing and will happily step aside for others if what I do isn’t popular and we can afford someone better. I very much hope to make money from the business in the long term, and the UK tax authorities will be upset with me if I don’t, but the first priority will be to pay other people.

Talking of which, some of you very kindly offered to give me money to help pay for an immigration lawyer. I turned that down because the sums involved were way too large for that sort of appeal. It would be more than enough money to run Salon Futura for a whole year. On the other hand, having the money to pay for the first issue or two would be very handy. Also, while that money indirectly helps me because it helps establish the business, it doesn’t go directly to me. So if you do want to help, we have a startup finding appeal.

We are open to submissions, and I’ll write more later about the sort of thing I am looking for, but for now I have Finncon to attend to. I’m scheduled pretty much solidly today from noon until I get to bed.