Have A Question?
We get lots of questions about the magazine, whether it is about shipping dates, contributions, or insider info on upcoming events and dolls. So here is a short list of the most popular questions asked, along with our answers!
How often does FDQ come out?
Fashion Doll Quarterly is– well, a quarterly publication! Our issues appear on newsstands and in mailboxes in January, April, July and October. We have done special issues in the past for several conventions, such as IFDC, Volks Dolpa,Tonner, Barbie,Gene and Fashion Royalty conventions. We have recently added our "virtual" issues, which are available on a USB bracelet. Depending on upcoming events, there may be freestanding print issues or virtual issues on USB or available as downloads. Check our site often for updates on these special issues.
NOTE: Recent post office layoffs have resulted in long shipping time to some locations. If you do not have your issue within two weeks of our announced ship dates, please contact us. We sell out very quickly so we may not be able to replace your issue more than thirty days after shipping. Also, make sure that all address information is carefully input on our order form. New automated systems will not recognize any extra spaces or mistakes and your magazine may not be shipped to the correct address.
How can I subscribe?
You can log on to our secure shopping cart here. Or you can send a check or money order to us via good ol' fashioned snail mail (our address is on the left column of this page). You can also purchase single copies at Barnes & Noble, or at one of the wonderful doll shops, which you can find here.
I would like to contribute to the magazine. How do I do that?
If you have a pitch, email editor Pat Henry here. We have themes for each issue, and we like to find the right content for each topic. The ideal situation is a writer/photographer combo. Our standards are pretty high, so we are looking for crisp, snappy prose, and elegant, professional looking photography that is shot at high resolution. That would mean a minimum file that measures 4"x6" at 300dpi. Multiple files are generally quite large, so they must be sent on disk, or upload via FTP, not email. However, copy can be sent via email, whether you attach a Word document or cut and paste right into the email. Please keep in mind that we cannot send back materials, and unsolicited material generally doesn't make the cut. We don't want you to do all that hard work for nothing, so contact us first and we can tell you if your idea will work for us.
Do contributors get paid?
Contributors will receive a byline and a free copy of the magazine (multiples in certain cases) but we do not compensate submissions financially. Regular contributors are offered the benefit of discounts on exclusives and a free subscription after consistently published pieces. If you would like to contribute, click here for the Editors Guidelines.
How long have you been around?
FDQ launched in October of 2003. We are happy to report that every day, another new collector discovers FDQ and signs up. We are looking forward to the next ninet years, and all the years after!
Are you owned by the same company as the other doll magazines?
No, we are privately owned. We started from scratch and we are proud to be one of the regular titles in the craft section of major book stores and selected newsstands. Our sold out Winter issue was in the "Take A Look" promotional kiosks across 225 Barnes & Nobel stores this fall. You can also find us in Borders, as well as many of the best doll stores here.
Are you sold in other countries and in other languages?
We are sold in other countries, like Japan, France, Germany, The Netherlands, and Australia, but we are not translated into other languages. We are thinking about it, though. We will see how it goes in the next few years.
Will you go bi-monthly or monthly?
Nope. The doll world is pretty small, so we feel that a quarterly is the best way to go. However, with our virtual issues and some other upcoming projects, you will be able to get supplemental content via downloads and on the USB bracelet.
Why don't you feature (fill in the doll name)?
We try to show a wide variety of dolls based on reader input as well as what is hot in the market. We are always open to suggestions if you are looking for more information on a certain doll or company, so feel free to contact us if there is something you really want to see in our glossy pages!
I want to buy a back issue that you no longer have available. How do I find these?
We are currently working on a way to offer downloads of both back issues and new exclusive content. This way if you want a pattern or an article that is out of print, you will still be able to view it and print it out for your future reference. We are in the process of making our back issues available by year as downloads, as well as offered on our virtual issue bracelets for 2009. If there is something specific, let us know and we may have a stray copy around or know of a retailer who has back stock.
Books and magazines are not returnable in either print or digital formats.
Got a question? Email us and we will answer it and add it to the FAQs page!