On 23rd March 2023, the Exeter based literary journal, Riptide, held its launch event for the 15th edition of their short story journal, hosted at The Hall in Exeter. The South West influence of the journal was promoted through its connections with the University of Exeter and the MA Publishing cohort who helped plan the launch event itself. Working with the MA students, Riptide has allowed those wanting to enter the publishing industry gain an insight into cover design, proofreading, liaising with authors and editors, digital marketing and the organisation of a launch event.
While most literary journals seem to fold after their third issue, Riptide has survived for 17 years since it started in 2006, founded by Dr Sally Flint and Dr Virginia (Ginny) Baily. Each year the volume has a theme, and this year it was ‘Breath.’ The theme has come to be all encompassing for the issue, seen in the graphics surrounding the issue, and the bright cover of a swimmer under water which ties in with one of the stories within the collection: Graveyard Shift by Lizzy Golds. Their decision to focus on breath came following the impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, the climate crisis (for which there is a separate, new edition in collaboration with the Met Office and the University of Exeter), and the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement. Breath has begun to hold an elevated feeling for so many, and this is covered in a blog post written by the students on the journals website.
The evening itself was filled with joy as so many people came together to celebrate the launch of Riptide 15. Guests were treated to a delightful jazz band and some delicious treats from Chococo and How on Earth Deli, before the wonderful readings by some of the contributing authors. Victoria Patch, Susmita Bhattacharya, Libertad Ansola Palazuels, Lizzie Golds, Kate Wilson and So Mayer treated their captivated audience to extracts from their short stories which only served to encourage everyone to purchase a copy form the stall (hosted by Exeter’s own Bookbag) selling the beautiful books, which can also be purchased here. Davina Quinlivan, an author and lecturer on the MA Publishing course, shared part of her foreword before the readings which set the scene and reminded us all about the importance of breath in everyday life, but also its relevance in each of the short extracts we heard. As Will, a student on the MA course said, the launch event was “a lovely celebration showcasing the community spirit and collaboration at the heart of Riptide.”
The authors themselves seemed enamored with the evening, with many taking posters dotted around the venue with quotes from their own stories to take home as a memento of their contribution to the journal. The beautiful designs of the posters, bookmarks and tote bags created a great talking point at the event, with many being taken home as special memories of the wonderful celebrations.
A huge congratulations to the MA Publishing cohort for creating such a lovely event that was the perfect way to celebrate the launch of Riptide 15.