Launch Party | Peach Mag Season 1 Yearbook

Peach Mag is a local online literary magazine (est. 2016) that features the works of many up and coming writers and poets, along with some of some of the more seasoned literary artists. The magazine is currently celebrating its one year anniversary with a commemorative print publication – the Peach Season 1 Yearbook. The yearbook features selections from local and international contributors whose works were posted online throughout the year (on Tuesdays and Fridays). Aside from posting on its website, the magazine also stays current through frequent Facebook updates.

The theme for the inaugural Peach Season 1 Yearbook is “Growth”. The thought behind “Growth” is to feature past literary works from Season 1, side by side with newer works from the same contributors.

“We’re very proud of all that we’ve accomplished during our first year of operation,” said Rachelle Toarmino, Co-founder and Managing Editor. “We’ve published more than a hundred writers and artists at Peach Mag, hosted eight visiting writers alongside some of Buffalo’s most talented literary artists through our EPISODES reading series, and reviewed dozens of books and local readings for our PEACH PICKS column in The Public. Now we’re on the verge of producing our first book–the Season 1 Yearbook–our tribute to book arts and print culture, and a souvenir of the 2016-17 season. We’ve watched with pride as our mission of bringing together rising and established writers, connecting local literary circles to one another, and putting Buffalo on the map as a literary destination has been realized.”

“Just as we’re reminiscing about all that has happened in the last year and contrasting it with where we are today, we’re interested in how publishing both pieces side by side will communicate a change in style, tone, or content — in other words, some kind of growth — in the work of our contributors. We were inspired by the feeling of opening a yearbook in June, flipping to the photograph that was taken in September, and thinking, ‘This doesn’t look anything like me anymore.'” – Editors: Rachelle Toarmino, Matthew Bookin, Breonna Kiblin

Peach Mag is 100% funded by its volunteer editors.

“Collaboration is key in today’s creative communities,” said artist Mickey Harmon, who designed and illustrated the cover of the inaugural yearbook. “I’ve worked with Peach Mag on a lot of their graphics and posters for events and identity which all comes to a head with their yearbook, celebrating one year of readings and featuring local and international writers. We’ll be opening the garden at Pine Apple Company for a reading from a selection of writers featured in their first yearbook.”