In my search for websites to recommend to our subscribers, I often find sites that have a great deal of potential but fail to live up to it. Sometimes the writing needs to be improved, other times the writing is phenomenal but the site itself is in need of design or formatting improvements. That was my problem this month. I found a site with wonderful stories but they were showcased on a site that was poorly formatted and maintained. So when I stumbled upon C/OASIS I was happy to find a site I could review with enthusiasm.

In the "About C/OASIS" section of the website, they tell how the e-zine originally started out as a newsletter in 1996. My hat is off to the editors for maintaining and growing over that time period. Too often promising sites disappear within six months to a year of their launch.

The site does not have an archive so they only purchase first time e-rights. Stories and poems are posted for a month. They do accept reprints and they do pay for submissions however, that amount is negotiable. "We will pay anywhere from $10-20 for any piece accepted for publication. Poems are usually paid $10 and long articles $20 but it's not a hard and fast thing."

They are looking for literary short stories with a twist rather than character analysis.

The site is simple and easy to navigate. All stories and poems are posted on the front page. The graphics are minimal to non-existent. You won't find a lot of flash or glam on the site, but you will find entertaining stories and poems. The quality of writing is good and the site has a high viewer rate.

C/OASIS also features an extensive link section and classified ads for writers. As with any classified, I recommend caution when responding to ads. There are sharks in the publishing business and no e-zine should be expected to protect you from all of them. Do your homework, proceed with care and use their pages as a resource.

My visit at C/OASIS was very enjoyable, and I highly recommend visiting the e-zine for reading pleasure, information and as a possible place to submit your work.

C/OASIS earns a 4 1/2 star rating. Losing 1/2 a star due to its flexible pay status.
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