Paizo Publishing announced the appointment of Jeff Berkwits to the position of Editor-in-Chief, Amazing Stories magazine on October 6, 2004.

“After a search that brought us a wide array of qualified candidates, we are confident that Jeff Berkwits is the editor to bring the 21st century entertainment magazine into the future,” says Keith Strohm, Chief Operating Officer of Paizo Publishing, LLC. “His background as a science-fiction contributor and his passion for the genre are going to establish Amazing Stories as the definitive voice in science fiction, fantasy, supernatural horror, and superheroes.”

Berkwits comes to Paizo from Wolfson Public Relations where he was Senior Staff Writer. Berkwits previously worked as a freelance correspondent covering the music and entertainment industries for such publications as Cinescape, SCI FI (the official magazine of the Sci Fi Channel), The X-Files Official Magazine, Science Fiction Weekly, and Amazing Stories among others, and served as Entertainment Editor at Galaxy Online.

“Amazing Stories is a publication that, for fans of science fiction and fantasy, has been revered for generations,” says Berkwits. “We’re now living in the age that was first imagined in the earliest issues of Amazing Stories. It’s my job to keep motivating and inspiring future generations of readers, writers, and fans. I’m looking forward to building upon the past while crafting and encouraging a bright future for both the magazine and speculative storytelling in all its forms.”

In additional news, Pierce Watters rejoins the Paizo Publishing staff as Circulation Director for the publishing group’s four magazines. In this role, Watters is responsible for expanding and improving upon mass-market magazine distribution and increasing overall subscriptions. Watters returns to Paizo after a stint as Associate Agent for the Barbara Bova Literary Agency, reading science fiction, fantasy, non fiction, and techno thrillers. Watters brings with him 35 years of experience in publishing, ranging from book and magazine editing to book sales and magazine circulation.

The Amazing Stories name was first used in 1926. Hugo Gernsback created the magazine, which was the first publication devoted to the science fiction genre. Its letter column (copied by it competitors) was largely responsible for the start of science Fiction Fandom. It continued publication until 1995.

Since that time, the name plate has been revived several times. The newest Amazing Stories was just launched and features reviews and previews of movies, TV, DVDs, books comics and story-driven electronic games, as well as interviews with the creators of these stories.

Posted October 6, 2004