[Janice D. Soderling]

Christmas is early this year.
LightenUp online arrived this morning, and in its stocking are a Eratospherians, not too numerous to mention: Gail White, Ed Shacklee, Jerome Betts, Philip Quinlan; have I missed anyone? I hope not. If so, shout in my ear, here.
Witty and well writ by all the above. Thanks, Editor Martin for making it happen.

[Jerome Betts]

Indeed, life would be starker and darker without Martin Parker. Joan Butler (EREME) is also in this issue with her foxy 'High Life'.Oh, and, of course, the lad himself, as Leo Vincent and, possibly, Honoria Scroope.

[Janice D. Soderling]

Apologies, Joan, I didn't know you by your pseudonym. I'll try to remember it for next time, but my brain cells, like the universe, are expanding and stuff sometimes floats around in the empty space between them.

thx Jerome, for telling us.

[Roger Slater]

I know that everyone here will be reading and greatly enjoying the names that have been mentioned, and congratulations one and all!

But don't miss the Mae Scanlan poem on oysters, which is truly worthy of Ogden Nash, and the brilliant poem on Neil Armstrong penned by Stephen Gold, which is a genuine hoot.

[Janice D. Soderling]

I agree fully with Roger. It's a gem of an issue.

[David Rosenthal]

Congratulations to all the uplit Spherians.

David R.

[Martin Parker]

Thank you all for your enthusiasm. It has, as almost (!) always, been a real delight to produce another Issue and to find so many of you in it again.

We set out four years ago to try to raise the profile of lighter verse. Maybe we have had some small success, though I doubt whether we can claim to have been responsible for the slight increase in the number of competitions etc. which now provide opportunities for it. But in "mixed" competitions it seems disappointing that the prize money remains at only some 10% of what is paid out for the "heavy" stuff. Time for a bit of a crusade, perhaps.

One of my original hopes had been that I would spend time each day dealing with calls from publishers -- preferably Fabers -- who would be begging for your addresses! I am sorry to have failed in this and that you, as well as Leo Vincent (and possibly now Honoria Scroope as well) are still awaiting the call to the bigtime -- that is to say, of course, those of you who have not already attained it!

But 2012 beckons -- and what is life without a dream?

[W.F. Lantry]

Excellent news! Congrats to all!