Lightspeed (magazine)

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American online fantasy and science fiction magazine

title: "Lightspeed (magazine)" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["monthly-magazines-published-in-the-united-states", "science-fiction-magazines-published-in-the-united-states", "online-magazines-published-in-the-united-states", "fantasy-fiction-magazines", "hugo-award–winning-works", "magazines-established-in-2010", "science-fiction-webzines", "2010-establishments-in-maryland", "magazines-published-in-maryland", "gaithersburg,-maryland"] description: "American online fantasy and science fiction magazine" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lightspeed_(magazine)" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American online fantasy and science fiction magazine ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox magazine"]

FieldValue
titleLightspeed
logo_size
image_file
image_size
editorJohn Joseph Adams
editor_titleEditor-in-Chief
categoryfantasy and science fiction magazine
frequencyMonthly
founderSean Wallace
firstdate
finaldate
companyAdamant Press
countryUnited States
languageEnglish
website
::

| title = Lightspeed | logo = | logo_size = | image_file = | image_size = | image_alt = | image_caption = | editor = John Joseph Adams | editor_title = Editor-in-Chief | previous_editor = | staff_writer = | photographer = | category = fantasy and science fiction magazine | frequency = Monthly | format = | circulation = | publisher = | paid_circulation = | unpaid_circulation = | circulation_year = | total_circulation = | founder = Sean Wallace | founded = | firstdate = | finaldate = | finalnumber = | company = Adamant Press | country = United States | based = | language = English | website = | issn = | eissn = | oclc = Lightspeed is an American online fantasy and science fiction magazine edited and published by John Joseph Adams. The first issue was published in June 2010 and it has maintained a regular monthly schedule since. The magazine published four original stories and four reprints in every issue, in addition to interviews with the authors and other nonfiction. All of the content published in each issue is available for purchase as an ebook and for free on the magazine's website. Lightspeed also made selected stories available as a free podcast, produced by Audie Award–winning editor Stefan Rudnicki.

History

Lightspeed was founded and run as a science fiction magazine by publisher Sean Wallace of Prime Books with John Joseph Adams as editor. Wallace also published Lightspeeds sister publication Fantasy Magazine; Adams came on as editor of Fantasy Magazine with the March 2011 issue. During this period the magazine was headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Lightspeed became an SFWA-qualifying market in July 2011.

In November 2011 Adams purchased Lightspeed and Fantasy Magazine from Wallace. With the January 2012 issue, the first published under Adams's ownership, the content of both magazines was combined under the Lightspeed masthead, and Fantasy Magazine was discontinued as an entity. The Fantasy Magazine staff was also absorbed into Lightspeed.

In September 2013, Lightspeed announced their first Special Issue, titled "Women Destroy Science Fiction", an anthology entirely written and edited by women. This issue was funded via Kickstarter, earning $53,136 with an original goal of $5,000. The additional funds allowed Lightspeed to publish further volumes, entitled "Women Destroy Fantasy" and "Women Destroy Horror." "Women Destroy Science Fiction" was designated as the "Book of Honor" at the 24th Potlatch in 2015.

Awards and recognition

Lightspeed was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Semiprozine in 2011, 2012, and 2013, and won in 2014 and 2015. In 2011 its podcast was awarded a Parsec award for Maggie Clark's "Saying the Names."

In 2010, two Lightspeed stories were finalists for the Nebula Award for Best Short Story: Adam-Troy Castro's "Arvies" and Vylar Kaftan's "I'm Alive, I Love You, I'll See You in Reno" and in 2011 "Amaryllis" by Carrie Vaughn was a finalist for the Hugo Award for Best Short story. In 2011, Adam-Troy Castro's "Her Husband's Hands" and Tom Crosshill's "Mama, We are Zhenya, Your Son" were finalists for the Best Short Story Nebula, while Jake Kerr's "The Old Equations" was nominated for Best Novella. In 2012, Maria Dahvana Headley's "Give Her Honey When You Hear Her Scream" and Ken Liu's "The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species" were both finalists for the Best Short Story Nebula. In 2014, Ken Liu's "The Litigation Master and the Monkey King" and Christopher Barzak's "Paranormal Romance" were both finalists for the Best Novelette Nebula. In 2014, Matthew Kressel's "The Sounds of Old Earth" and Sylvia Spruck Wrigley's "Alive, Alive Oh" were both finalists for the Best Short Story Nebula.

Some stories were nominated for the Theodore Sturgeon Award: Yoon Ha Lee's "Flower, Mercy, Needle, Chain" in 2011, Jake Kerr's "The Old Equations" in 2012, and Ken Liu's "The Bookmaking Habits of Select Species" in 2013.

Several stories published in the magazine have been reprinted in anthologies devoted to recognizing excellence in the genre:

References

References

  1. Klima, John. Tor.com [http://www.tor.com/blogs/2010/06/lightspeed-magazine Lightspeed Magazine #1] June 2010.
  2. SFFAudio.com [http://www.sffaudio.com/?p=20471 Lightspeed Magazine will have a podcast!] May 2010.
  3. Locus Online. [http://www.locusmag.com/News/2009/10/john-joseph-adams-to-edit-lightspeed.html John Joseph Adams to Edit Lightspeed] Oct. 2009
  4. Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America. [http://www.sfwa.org/2011/07/lightspeed-magazine-is-sfwas-newest-qualifying-market/ "Lightspeed Magazine is SFWA's newest qualifying market"], July 2011.
  5. Locus Online. [http://www.locusmag.com/News/2011/11/john-joseph-adams-buys-lightspeed-and-fantasy/ "John Joseph Adams Buys ''Lightspeed'' and ''Fantasy''{{-"], Nov. 2011
  6. Locus Online. [http://www.locusmag.com/News/2011/12/lightspeed-and-fantasy-merge/ Lightspeed and Fantasy Merge] Dec. 2011
  7. (September 5, 2013). "Announcing the LIGHTSPEED "Women Destroying Science Fiction" Special Issue". Lightspeed Magazine.
  8. "WOMEN DESTROY SCIENCE FICTION! by Lightspeed magazine".
  9. (February 15, 2014). "Women aren't just destroying science fiction, but other genres too".
  10. [https://potlatch-sf.org/history.html "Potlatch History Page"], Potlatch (last visited Nov. 21, 2025).
  11. The Official Site for the Hugo Awards. [http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2011-hugo-awards/ 2011 Hugo Awards] {{webarchive. link. (2012-05-04 2011)
  12. The Official Site for the Hugo Awards. [http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2012-hugo-awards/ 2012 Hugo Awards] 2012.
  13. The Official Site for the Hugo Awards. [http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2013-hugo-awards/ 2013 Hugo Awards]
  14. The Official Site for the Hugo Awards. [http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2014-hugo-awards/ 2014 Hugo Awards]
  15. (2010-08-15). "2011 Parsec Awards Winners & Finalists". Parsec Awards.
  16. "The Locus Index to SF Awards: 2011 Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award". [[Locus (magazine).
  17. (29 June 2012). "Campbell and Sturgeon Award Winners". [[Locus (magazine).
  18. "Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award 2013". [[Locus (magazine).

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monthly-magazines-published-in-the-united-statesscience-fiction-magazines-published-in-the-united-statesonline-magazines-published-in-the-united-statesfantasy-fiction-magazineshugo-award–winning-worksmagazines-established-in-2010science-fiction-webzines2010-establishments-in-marylandmagazines-published-in-marylandgaithersburg,-maryland