EDITORIAL

FORTEAN TIMES READER SURVEY 2021

Readers often write in or email to let us know what they think of Fortean Times. Usually, it’s to comment on an item or story in a recent issue, and sometimes a few kind words of encouragement or a bit of criticism are appended. Similarly, people air their thoughts on Facebook or Twitter – mostly, but not always, politely – and this too is helpful. We’ve realised, though, that it’s been a long time since we last asked readers for their feedback directly and that now – while we’re all stuck at home – might be a good time to do so.

What would be useful for us – and, we hope, for you too – is to get a better sense of what you’re currently enjoying (or not) in the magazine than one-off comments or generalised brickbats and bouquets can provide. Do we devote too much space to ‘weird news’ when you’d rather see an extra feature article? Are there particular regular columns that should be expanded, truncated or axed? Should we review comics as well as books, or games as well as films? Are there areas of forteana we should be covering that we’re not? Or subjects that we’ve devoted too much space to at the expense of other, more important ones?

We want to keep FT relevant to readers’ interests as well as our own, so please help us to improve the magazine by getting involved and doing a brief survey that will provide us with a clearer picture of what you’d like to see in these pages. All we’d ask you to do is to visit the FT Facebook page, where you will find a pinned post containing the survey, which should only take about five minutes to complete. Copy and paste the questions into an email, give a response in CAPS next to each item and, if you’d like to, add your own comments at the end. Then, send the email back to us at: surveyFT2021@gmail.com.

We will collate the responses and share our findings in a future issue. We’ll also put all respondents’ names in a hat, from which one lucky winner will be pulled and subsequently showered with FT goodies.

So, go to https://www.facebook.com/ ForteanTimes/ to get started – and many thanks in advance for your help.

GETTING COPIES OF FT

Despite lockdown restrictions, you should be able to buy FT from your usual stockist. If you are experiencing difficulties, or cannot go out, then copies for home delivery, including issues you may have missed, can be ordered here: https://magsdirect.co.uk/ magazine-category/entertainment/fortean/. Taking out a subscription is, of course, the best way to guarantee your regular FT fix – turn to p56 for the latest offers.

ERRATA

FT393:12: “Five-million-year-old dinosaur remains” should have read “fossil mammal bones”. Thanks to Ed Brewster and Pete Swindells.

FT397:23: Pete also noted an error in Mythconceptions (as did Larry Womack via Facebook). “Princess Sophia lived from 1630 to 1714, not 1613 to 1740. Had she lived for another two months she would have become Queen of England. As it was, her son became George I in 1714. Sophia is the present Queen’s great (x7) grandmother.”

FT398:39: Norman Darwen of Bolton cleared up some confusion in Alan Murdie’s feature on moving statues, which referred to “Whalley or Salley Abbey” in Lancashire. Norman writes: “The two abbeys near Clitheroe are Whalley and Sawley – the names rhyme. Sawley is right next to the River Ribble, and the Abbey is now a ruin, seven miles away from Whalley Abbey. Local legend is supposed to state that the River claims a life every year.”