Wow, Long Overdue Update. We Need Help!

Ok, so, sorry for not posting in quite a while. I have firmly come to the conclusion that this project is far beyond my current means to get finished by myself. I simply can't do this anymore alone.

I need help in the form of a team of people who can be relied on to do a specific job.

If the second issue is to be delivered, this will be how it'll be done.

Here are the jobs we need filled......

-Someone with the skill to design the cover page design and layout, along with the entire magazine graphically wise. Page backgrounds, editorial layout and designs, contents, etc....

-Someone who can be sent the stories and compile them into the document file as time goes by (it would be a huge bonus if this person could edit the stories as well, but in the case he can't, we'd need a reliable editor)

What job do I fill? I will be general overseer over the project, the supervisor and head of the project. I will make any final decisions on the project. I will also seek out the tallent and explain what to do. However, I would actually be interested if someone ELSE would be interested in taking up a job position solely for finding talent and managing them to make sure they get the work done on time.

*sighs*

If we want to see this come to fruition, this needs to be accomplished. Please tell others and get people involved.

We also need someone to make the website look good. Are you good with html website design and are willing to help out for free? Then please apply. Do you know flash or dreamweaver? PLEASE APPLY IF YOU CAN! I'd really like to see a proffesional looking website.

So yea, all these jobs would be done for FREE. So please, if you can help, please apply.

-Matt 

Another Update

Alright, seems Ambitions and Elements are going through re-writes. lol

As for the rest of the magazine, its progressing slowly. 

We need 1 more short story, and if anyone is good at design and graphics, we could use your help.

Also, if anyone is good with editing, we could use you too.

-Matt

Karui Shosetsu Magazine is on Wikipedia!

So I thought to myself, why haven't I made a wikipedia entry about us yet? So I did!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karui_Shosetsu_Magazine 

What do you think? :)

-Matt :)

PS. Arg, some editor at wikipedia is against the magazine being on wikipedia. So it currently in deletion discussion, in which I am trying to fight for it to stay. <_<

PSS. They deleted it. Oh well, when we get more popular they'll let us have one. 

Japanese Blogs Begin To Take Notice!

So yes, there are a bunch of different english sites discussing the magazine. Even Germany and the Dutch have discussed us. lol

But now, I can tell you all, JAPAN IS TALKING ABOUT US TOO! XD

Besides a random post by a Japanese person on a mobile phone chat linking to the magazine, there is also a full length blog post about the magazine here: http://dekadenbiyori.blog40.fc2.com  

"その名も「Karui Shosetｓu/カルイショウセツ」。……まさか海外の地で、ライトノベルという単語を「和訳」されようとは思わなんだぞ。

オリジナルの表紙絵（！）、英語ネイティブのライトノベルをメインに、日本のラノベの紹介（一部版権絵も使ってるのはまあご愛嬌）、英語版商業ラノベのレビューで、ぎっしり169ページのボリュームのオリジナルウェブマガジン。作家も編集もボランティアで、これから臨月刊行を予定しているとのこと。興味のある方はリンク先のページからvol1をダウンロードできます。

ぱらぱらっと流し読みしたところ、これはまあ、みごとな出来の同人誌だねえ。To be continuedで終わる続き物作品が多いのがいかにも、結末まで書ききる気力が続かなくなってしまいそうな、素人っぽさを漂わせてなくもないけれど、それにしたって、実に浪漫あふれる試みだと思う。ブラボーですぞ。"

According to a google translation, he basicly says at the end.

"This a great attempt. Bravo!"

So as the magazine grows, so does the attention overseas. We can only hope more blogs over in Japan begin to spread the word.

-Matt :)

New Illustrators, New Stories, New Manga, New EVERYTHING!!!!

Hey guys, back again to keep you updated. 

We have one CONFIRMED new light novel series going into the second issue (by CONFIRMED, I mean, I have it, so I KNOW its going in. lol). I'm not revealing the title, but its a little bit of comedy with slice of life. I think your really going to like it. 

There is also a SECOND light novel series (FANTASY) which is being worked on, however, it is not confirmed yet whether it will make it in this issue.

If you read the title, not only did I say "NEW STORIES", but I also said "NEW ILLUSTRATORS". That's right, were getting new artists to help illustrate the light novel series in the magazine.

So what series from the first issue are getting treated to artwork? I'm not saying. :p

I'm honestly trying to get EVERY story to have an artist assigned to it. lol

Along with the new stories, were also getting new MANGA!

Ok, your confused, I'm sure. Manga? But isn't this a LIGHT NOVEL magazine?

Well, Light Novel Magazines do publish manga on the side, such as DRAGON MAGAZINE in Japan (which publishes Full Metal Panic, SHAPPLE, Black Blood Brothers, etc.) One of our artists is hard at work on a manga as we speak, what's it about? Again, its a secret. :p

On a seperate note, WE HAVE NO SHORT STORIES!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, we have no short stories for issue #2! This is a crisis! So I am calling on anybody out there, if you have a short story that you think would be good in the magazine, please use the contact form on the official website to send me it! I will get back to you very quickly on whether or not it will accepted. So please, hurry and send me your short stories. lol

www.ksm.lightnovel.org

Ok, so yea, and besides that, were working on improving how the Magazine looks. I want to make the REVIEWS section 100% better looking along with the RELEASES section.

Were also planning on adding a ILLUSTRATORS CORNER. What is it? Again, I'm not telling. :p

So yea, lots of things in the works. 

On one more note, PLEASE VOTE ON THE POLLS AND BBS! Not only should you vote on the blog poll that I put up recently, but please vote on the polls on the official website, and please, somebody, POST ON THE BBS! lol  It's there for a reason!

-Matt :)

Progress on Issue #2

Well, Issue #2 is progressing.

I've recently been recruting anime/manga artists to help illustrate the series and even create some short OEL manga. How it will all turn out, hmm, we'll have to wait and see.

But basicly, were trying to make this new issue an improvement on the last.

-Matt

Wow, has it really been over 2 months??!!

Hey guys, I'm sure you think that by now the project must have died. lol I'm here to tell you, it hasn't. I've been having internet troubles, and untill they are fixed I can't upload anything like the magazine. I hope you can understand. Sorry for having been gone and not updated the blog. -Matt

Long Overdue Update

Hey everyone, sorry for not updating sooner. Been real busy with life and my internet is in need of fixing. Arg.

I'm wrapping up the last couple chapters of one of my light novels hopefully to be published this coming year. I have several japanese manga artists in mind (and I have their e-mails), so now just to find a translator.

The question is, can we meet the November deadline? Not sure actually.

We have almost half I guess of what we needed, so you may see a delayed release till next month. We are free after all and don't get payed. So, we'll see.

-Matt :)

Hey Everyone

Thought I'd touch base about my series ONE LAST STAND.

Um, if you run a blog or website, or post on forums, please support it. lol

I PM people and they tell me how much they loved it, but the only people giving their opinions publicly (about 1), is giving me negative reviews. So if you liked it, please help promote it.

Obviously the story premise was set, and not much of the theme or characters were revealed, but I had hoped I enticed you all to like it.

I am almost done writing the Chapter 2, I can't give a preview obviously, because of the cliff-hanger ending.

There were some grammer errors that I didn't catch, so we are planning for a re-release of the first issue soon, hopefully with all of them fixed. We'll see.

So yea, spread the word, and help all the authors (including me) get better exposure out there.

I'm not sure if I said this to well, but I am actually writing three other light novel series besides ONE LAST STAND and a fantasy trillogy. Besides that, I have 17 future story ideas all fleshed out.

So yea, I'm looking for a Japanese anime artist right now to illustrate my series' and give them a better chance at getting published by someone like.....DEL REY.

We'll see how that goes, but at least I did actually find 20 proming artists. ;)


Ok, talk to you soon, and oh yea, in a week it's my birthday, so, yea, awesome times. :)


-Matt

Introduction

Greeting folks!

Name's Mark aka Ominae and I'm one of the authors of Karui Shosetsu magazine with the story Specialists. Basically, it's about a team of young specialists under a multinational specialist organization that does risky jobs or whatnot for governments and organizations with the addition of doing overt and covert operations that may have been done with/without government consent. I'll stop here for now since I may blow the rest of my story without doing it. XP

I hang out most of the time at fanfiction.net; my link's right here.

Anyway, I'm done with chapter 2 and I'd like to give you a preview. It's still subject to some minor changes.

Colonel Hatta walked near the armory to see Paul on his knees and his arms behind his head as several Kopassus commandos had surrounded him, all armed with various Pindad SS1 and SS2 assault rifles.

“Colonel Abdul Hatta of Kopassus, I presume?” Paul eyed the Colonel under his balaclava.

“Why are you here?” The Colonel interrogated Paul. When he didn’t answer, the Kopassus commandos aimed their rifles for his head.

“Why are you here?” The question was once again repeated.

Paul chuckled and shook his head. “I think you already know the answer.”

“Who sent you here?” Colonel Hatta kept up the pressure as he continued to interrogate Paul. “The UN Security Council? The Australians? The Americans? The Malaysians?”

Paul laughed hard, still on his knees and hands behind his head. The Kopassus men stepped closer, their rifles still aimed at his head.

“What’s so damn funny?!” The Colonel yelled.

Paul grinned, not showing his face under his balaclava. “You just don’t know who did send me here, did ya?”

Colonel Hatta was confused at his words.

“And...” Paul whispered before he said, “Boom.”

----

Tom and Aldeia came running towards their friend and colleague. The two had different shirt and pants, the former with a green shirt and brown pants and the latter with a white shirt and green pants, but had black tactical vests and earpieces on their right ears.

“What happened?” Tom asked.

Paul shrugged his shoulders. “It’s nothing.”

Aldeia approached Paul and whispered on his right hand. “We’re needed back at TGS Hong Kong HQ on the double...”

“What’s up?” Paul whispered back.

“Something’s going on in Georgia. Seems like we’re heading out for another mission.”

“You mean the war?”

Aldeia mouthed Yeah to his friend.

“Alright, but...”

“The guys are coming in.” Aldeia pointed his right thumb behind him.

Post-Release Buzz

Ok, as with this type of magazine, allthough it can be read in a whole day, some people take a week. lol

Here are some things being said.

"I’ll definitely be supporting the magazine in the future. As an amateur novelist and a light novel fan, I’m behind this 100% - congrats on the release of the first issue, and I hope to see more releases in the future!" - Memories-of-eternity.com


I'd list more, but I am a bit busy.


I am working on the second issue, and I am happy to say, that I am pretty sure we just got a SHOUJO artist for one of the series and a SHOUJO manga series. :)

I am trying to get many more artists.

Please spread the word.

And I can't wait to see the GERMAN translation and how the Germans like it. lol

-Matt :)

So What Do You Think?

The magazine is out on the official website for download, and we all are desperate to hear what you think.

Please leave comments, and post on the BBS boards, and vote on the official Polls. And if you run a website or blog, please give a review.

And please realize that this is just the first issue, and that any flaws you see will try to be corrected in the next issue. We know it isn't perfect, but we hope you can see the pottential it holds.

A new poll is on the blog now, here are the results for the last. We asked if you were excited about the release of the magazine. Here are the results.

Yes!
42 (55%)

I'm Waiting To See It First
28 (36%)

Not really
6 (7%)

Votes so far: 76



-Matt