The Fist Issue
A letter from editor Michael Lehman in the first issue of Seattle's new gay monthly magazine 'mo refers to it as the "fist issue," which is merely a hilarious typo, Lehman confirmed earlier this week. "I appreciate you pointing that out; I just cringe when there's a typo. All I can say is I was probably really tired that day." That will probably be the last time the word ever appears in 'mo, which Lehman describes as an upscale lifestyle and entertainment magazine that's "very different" from the Seattle Gay News. The premiere issue, 5,000 copies of which were distributed to 50 locations on Capitol Hill last week, includes articles about pet food, fitness, and weekend getaways. There are no escort or sex-club ads.
Lehman described the lack of a glossy, full-color LGBT magazine in Seattle as "a hole we felt like we could fill." He and his partner Peter Moraga, who is also 'mo's publisher, moved to Seattle from Phoenix a few years ago. "There are five or six publications like this in Phoenix, and Phoenix has a much smaller gay and lesbian community." In the last decade, several full-color LGBT magazines have started up in Seattle only to go out of business, but Lehman, who also sells advertising for his magazine, is optimistic. The print run of the second issue is doubling to 10,000, and its distribution may extend to the LGBT groups at corporations like Safeco, Microsoft, and Boeing. "The reception in some of those organizations is very warm," he said.
Is the Future Clear Cut?
Clear Cut Press is not dead, contrary to speculation published in this newspaper three months ago. Clear Cut's website hasn't been updated in months (the page titled "Future" is a list of events featuring American Book Award–winner Matt Briggs, all nine of which happened five or six months ago), but earlier this week Clear Cut's publisher Rich Jensen confirmed that six new books are in the works. "The plan is to bring out insanely great novels by Emily White and Bruce Benderson before the end of the year," he wrote in an e-mail. The other four forthcoming books include an "architectural manifesto" by Matthijs Bouw and "a book of poems inspired by the French Revolution."
In other news, White (who is married to Jensen and used to be the editor of The Stranger) has a nonfiction exposé called You Will Make Money in Your Sleep, about the criminal dealings of Dana Giacchetto, former money manager to celebrities, coming out from Scribner in June.
July in May
It's official: The Stranger is doing an event with Miranda July on May 17 at Neumo's. There will be a reading, a live interview, special guests, and a dance party. Make a note of it. 
