Shimmer Magazine was a quarterly magazine which published speculative fiction, with a focus on material that is dark, humorous or strange. Established in June 2005, Shimmer was published in digest format and PDF and was edited by Beth Wodzinski.

Mary Robinette Kowal is an American author and puppeteer. Originally a puppeteer by primary trade after receiving a bachelor's degree in art education, she became art director for science fiction magazines and by 2010 was also authoring her first full-length published novels. The majority of her work is characterized by science fiction themes, such as interplanetary travel; a common element present in many of her novels is historical or alternate history fantasy, such as in her Glamourist Histories and Lady Astronaut books.