The SUN Magazine

I received a promo in the mail yesterday for the SUN Magazine, which I had never heard of in any class or literary circle or Web site. But Curiosity got the better of me, and I opened it up. I was pleasantly surprised by what I found inside.

Dear Reader,

Years ago, I was trapped in a newspaper job I couldn’t stand. Then I heard Graham Nash sing, “Make sure that the things you do keep us alive.” The next day I walked to work, quit my job, and kept walking. Better to be a pilgrim without a destination, I figured, than to cross the wrong threshold every day.”

There’s more. There are excerpts of essays, poems, and works of fiction, and they’re all quite lovely. They are accompanied by beautiful and/or interesting photographs. The promo is a simple long strip folded over six or seven times to fit the postcard size requirements, taped shut, and executed in simple black and white with muted color accents.

I actually sent an email via the SUN’s Web site to let them know how much their simple promo had enchanted me, and to suggest that they thank their designer(s), because I know how much that feedback can mean. I will probably mail in for my free trial issue, and perhaps even subscribe. (And in the future, maybe submit my own work too.) For now, I’ll be reading the content online. Like this story excerpt, which is simple but captivating: The Poplars.