Exposition Review is thrilled to debut our latest issue, Vol IV: “Wonder”! This volume is packed with multi-genre goodness, including more experimental narratives than any issue to date.
On Friday, May 3, Exposition Review’s editors, contributors, and community came together to celebrate the issue with our #ExpoPresents: Launch Party & Reading at one of our favorite LA bookstores, Skylight Books. Though this was our fourth issue and the second time we had the pleasure of hosting our launch party at Skylight, it was a night of firsts.
May 3, 2019: Launch Party & Reading
For the first time, we heard from contributors in every genre—including Doug Fogelson, who was the first cover artist to attend and speak at a launch. For the first time our managing and genre section editors introduced the contributors, giving insight into the editorial process and why each work struck them. And because Co-Editor-in-Chief Lauren Gorski had flight delays from the Bay Area, we hosted our first-ever launch-party video conference so she could phone it in in the best way possible.
Like all the pieces in our “Wonder” issue, the contributor remarks and readings brought to light the myriad emotions inspired by nature. To begin, Doug Fogelson’s remarks on his Fauxrest series inspired us to consider ordinary objects and the process by which they become art. We had dark comedy superheroes in T.S. McAdams’s short story “The Superhero Way” and disappearing bodies in Kyle Raymond Fitzpatrick’s fiction piece “Bones.” Our WriteGirl contributors wowed the audience as they read about Spotify playlists in Rayne Alarcio’s poem and bodies on trial in Krista Nave’s poem “Justice Favors Fortune.” We took a trip through time and place with Charles Duffie’s comedic screenplay “A Place by the Fire” and contemplated religion and ritual with Mia Nakaji Monnier’s nonfiction essay “Kokoro Yasume.” The contributors provoked awe and mystery and inspired the audience to read their full pieces and the full issue.
After the readings, we enjoyed conversation, wine, and delicious desserts by our in-journal chef and Nonfiction Editor, Annlee Ellingson. We send a special thank you to all who came and celebrated with us and of course, to Skylight Books. As Lauren and Jess said in their Letter from the Editors, we do this for you, for our community, and it is our joy to be the reason our community comes together, even if only for one night.
For those of you who missed the launch, or if you want to see what all the buzz is about, take a look at the multi-genre amazingness that is Vol. IV: “Wonder” here. And don’t forget to say hi over on social and subscribe to our newsletter to be the first to hear about all our events, issues, contests, calls for submission, and more!