Literary Mischief in a Nest of Mayhem.  That was the idea.  We threw it on the porch to see if any neighborhood cats lapped it up, as the saying goes.  Flew it up the flagpole, looking for a few salutes.

At the age of two, this tiny venture is just getting on its feet.  It’s still cute and cuddly.  But it is also a pain in the ass requiring more than a lot of attention, and it won’t be ignored.  The payoff?  It’s fun to watch things grow, develop, evolve and, in its own small way, help make the world a better place.  So that’s something to shoot for and we are shooting!

We are still learning how to measure “Success” but if the volume and quality of the submissions is any indicator, we are well on our way.  Our goal since Issue 1 has been to provide a platform for good, true art; writers, poets, painters and photographers with vision and passion have a home at the Thieving Magpie.  As we embark on our third year with the launching of Issue 8, we are grateful and humbled by so many enthusiastic and talented artists who have been sending their work to the site.  It is overwhelming and exciting and we ask one thing:  Please keep sending your best work here!

This issue, like the past two, includes voices and visions from all over America and the world.  Some of the writers have been published here before, most are new.

So, after all the office holiday parties, after all the New Year’s Eve debauchery and New Year’s Day penance, after all the noise and the popping and blowing and spinning, it’s time to settle down.  Time to curl up with a cup of hot something, a cozy sweater, a blanket, some mood music and your juiced up laptop, iPad, Kindle or phone (some day . . . print magazine?) and READ.

Winter is here.  Enjoy it.  And thank you!