In the time since we announced our final issue, we have received quite a bit of mail from Tome readers asking why we have decided to cease publication. Perhaps, before we wax nostalgic about our experiences with the Tome, we owe our readers an explanation.

There were a number of factors, really, which made us decide to cease publication of the Tome. Primarily, time is a big issue for both of us; we're both graduate students with families and jobs, and compiling an issue every quarter was getting to be quite a burden. Secondly, a good amount of personal interest had waned for both of us, as neither of us play in Mystara anymore, and would rather devote our very limited time to our own campaigns. And finally -- and most notably -- while our regular contributors (who are wonderful) were still submitting great articles, their numbers are few and we were getting virtually no submissions and no feedback from others; apathy is hardly an incentive, and begging is not fun.

This was not a knee-jerk decision; we thought over our options carfully for more than six months, taking a hiatus from the Winter issue. Finally, we concluded that once a labor of love becomes simply a labor, the time to move on has come. Thus, the cancellation of the Tome of Mystara.

Not to say that the Tome wasn't fun while it lasted! When we began this project two years ago, our mission was to provide the Mystaran community with a venue for new material which might not always find a home in other forums, because of a rules choice, an alternate view of history or NPCs, or because it conflicted with the "party line" of more traditional outlets. I'd say that we succeeded admirably in that regard. Throughout, we were continually amazed at the quality and caliber of contributions; it appeared that freedom from constraint had really unleashed the full fury of the authors' and artists' minds. We were proud to present adventures which stretched the bounds of Mystaraspace, tales set in parallel Mystaras, interviews with game designers, and art and music which attempted to weave the fabric of the mind into a tangible portrayal of our favorite world. For these accomplishments, we owe a great debt of gratitude to our contributors, past and present: your formidable creativity made the Tome everything it was. Thank you.

We appreciate that the Mystaran community is sad to see us go, and we thank them for their support over the past two years. But go we shall. While we will not be turning over the reins of the Tome to anyone else, we hope perhaps to see a new Mystaran e-zine arise in the future.

Until then, may Matera's light find you well.

- Jennifer Guerra and Kevin Turner