[Alex Pepple]

Dear Eratosphereans,

It’s been a couple of days since my update, and I’ve noticed there haven’t been any responses yet. I’m hoping that either means everyone is completely satisfied, unsure of what to say, or just busy with other things.

That said, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any thoughts—whether feedback, questions, or even just a quick ‘hi’—I’d appreciate the engagement. It would help me get a sense of where everyone stands and what you’d like to see moving forward.

If you’d prefer to reach out privately rather than posting in this thread, feel free to send me a private message or an email at alex [at] ablemuse [dot] com.

Looking forward to your thoughts!

Cheers,
...Alex

[David Callin]

I'm not such a longstanding Spherean as many here, Alex, but I greatly appreciate what you do. It's great that there is a here to enjoy.

Is it time for a bit of help with the financial upkeep again?

Cheers

David

[Catherine Chandler]

Hi, Alex,


It's really good to know you are now in a position to address our understandable concerns.


As your update, as well as the update to your update, perhaps continue to raise more questions than they answer, at least Sphereans can be reassured with respect to the technical aspects of Eratosphere and Able Muse Press.


That being said, I continue to hope and pray that your ongoing challenges are not related to serious health issues, and I respect your reticence.


Finally, I hope you know I am eternally thankful that Rhina Espaillat suggested Eratosphere to me over two decades ago, and that, as a result of the wonderful community here, I was able to bring Lines of Flight to fruition.



I am grateful to you for publishing Lines of Flight, even before the Able Muse Book Award became a yearly contest, and for publishing some of my poems and translations in the Able Muse Journal and Anthology over the years.



It was an honor to meet you at the West Chester Poetry Conference in 2011 (as well as Richard Wilbur that year!); a pleasure (and a challenge) to act as Moderator of The Deep End; fun to organize and judge the various sonnet bake-offs and to participate in Zoom readings during the pandemic.


Moving forward, it is my hope that Eratosphere continues to thrive!



Cathy

[Jayne Osborn]

Hello Alex,

There's not much traffic on this thread now, because it's been a while since Cathy posted it - and most members will have already looked at it, probably not even realising that you've posted on it twice. "The Elephant in the Room" has become a different situation now.

If I may make a polite suggestion - A brand new thread, on all the boards and with your name heading it, and also with the kind of title that will make everyone sit up and take notice, is likely to elicit more responses. Your post above David's, here, probably won't have been seen by a lot of Sphereans.

Everyone's been wondering where you've been and why you haven't responded to their emails, causing all manner of speculation (and enquiries to me) such as:

What if you're seriously ill, physically or mentally?
Has anyone got your phone number?
Are you a Missing Person? (This is not being melodramatic - the San José Police were contacted with genuine concern for your well-being.)
Were you bankrupt?
Will you ever come back?
Will Eratosphere keep going?

All these concerns were expressed, but no one knew your whereabouts or could vouch for your safety, which was very worrying.

It's a great relief indeed to know that you're well, Alex, and that whatever problems prevailed, you're on your way to sorting things out. If you could give an idea of some time frames for things happening it would help to restore confidence and put minds at rest too.

If things get back to the way they were it will be really good, and I'm sure Sphereans will be happy to contribute to the running costs again, to ensure the continued smooth running of Eratosphere.

Jayne

(Cross-posted with Cathy.)

[Alex Pepple]

It’s wonderful to see these follow-up responses—thank you all for engaging!

David, I appreciate your kind words and ongoing support of the Sphere! Your offer of financial assistance, as well as that of anyone else who can manage it, is greatly appreciated. The donation method remains the same—just click the "Donate" link at the top of most Eratosphere pages and follow the instructions.

Cathy, thank you for initiating this thread and for your thoughtful engagement. Your words mean a great deal. You'll always have a special place in the Sphere and at Able Muse Press, especially as the very first author we published with Lines of Flight, a truly wonderful book of poems. It was something of a coup that I was able to personally reach out and engage with the late Richard Wilbur to secure such a positive blurb for it—one of the last blurbs he ever wrote for any book.

Jayne, I deeply appreciate your candid and steadfast support. You’ve long been a pillar of stability, both in the literary and operational sense, for the Sphere. The concerns you’ve raised are valid, and I can certainly understand why there was so much uncertainty—up to and including the involvement of the San Jose Police!

While I generally prefer to keep personal matters private, I can share that any health-related issues that contributed to delays are now behind me. Additionally, some of the challenges stemmed from unreliable and, frankly, unfair business practices from Amazon and others, making things extremely difficult. While the ripple effects and damage continue, what could be salvaged has been, and Able Muse and its press remain committed to navigating these shifting landscapes.

Regarding book delays, I have been in direct communication with the affected authors to provide clarity and ensure they now receive timely responses. As for the contest result delays, we anticipate a resolution within the next three to four months. Many of those affected have reached out to me directly, and I’ve been responding and updating them promptly with details on the situation and what to expect moving forward.

Through all of this, my commitment to maintaining and sustaining the Sphere—and everything related to Able Muse—has never wavered. These systems don’t maintain themselves, and it’s through my continued active support and financial investment behind the scenes that the Sphere remains up and running efficiently, with no downtime—aside from the occasional hacker intrusion, which I’ve always worked to resolve as quickly as possible.

Once again, thank you all for your continued support, engagement, and patience. Things are gradually, but surely, returning to normal.

Cheers,
...Alex

[David Callin]

Originally Posted by Alex Pepple

David, I appreciate your kind words and ongoing support of the Sphere! Your offer of financial assistance, as well as that of anyone else who can manage it, is greatly appreciated. The donation method remains the same—just click the "Donate" link at the top of most Eratosphere pages and follow the instructions.

I've just done that, following your nudge, Alex. Frankly, I think you should nudge us more often. We need it. Or I do, it seems, at least.

Cheers

David

[Alex Pepple]

Hello, David,

That’s incredibly kind of you—thank you! Your support, both in spirit and in action. It's It’s easy to take things like Eratosphere’s continued presence for granted, especially when they’re running smoothly, but they do require ongoing effort and support to keep going strong.

Much appreciated, as always!

Cheers,
...Alex

[Jennifer Reeser]

Alex -- hi!

You beautiful soul, you. Thanks for all you do. I appreciate you to Mars and back.

Life could not seemingly get any better than it is at present. I've just had a publication in Nimrod. Be well.

Much love,
Jenn

Originally Posted by Alex Pepple

That said, I’d love to hear from you! If you have any thoughts—whether feedback, questions, or even just a quick ‘hi’—I’d appreciate the engagement.
Cheers,
...Alex

[Alex Pepple]

Hello, Jennifer!

What a delight to hear from you—and with such fantastic news! A Nimrod publication is no small feat—congratulations! That’s a well-earned triumph, and I have no doubt it’s just one of many more to come.

And thank you for your ever-generous words—they mean the world.

Much love right back, and may life continue to be glorious for you as you make your way through it!

Cheers,
..Alex

[Brian Allgar]

Alex,

Thank you for your clear, helpful and informative posts.

And thank you for coming back!

With best wishes,
Brian