Press Contact
Brent Blazek
The Maple/Ash Review
mapleash@gmail.com

Local Literary Magazine, The Maple/Ash Review Launches First Issue

Two Literature Enthusiasts Launch Hand-Bound Magazine from Their Kitchen with the Support of Both the Local Community and Two Bestselling Authors

Tempe, Arizona-- May 27, 2008 – The Maple/Ash Review, a hip, new local literary magazine, hits the streets today after months of coffee shop talks, guerrilla marketing, a rally of community support and two big-name authors jumping aboard.

Today, the co-creators, Brent Blazek, age 21, and Drew S. Swenhaugen, age 23, just finished hand-binding the first print run of The Maple/Ash Review No. 1 in Drew's kitchen. Every copy has been lovingly printed, arranged and bound by the hands of Brent, Drew and 4 of their good friends, who were coerced into volunteering on the pretense of a “Binding Party.” “The whips and ropes were the first signs there had been a miscommunication” jests co-founder Brent Blazek, “but they were even more into literary ventures than S&M, so they stayed. A couple food runs, 10 bottles of wine, several dozen cigarettes, one failed attempt at train-hopping and 1,200 sheets of paper later, we had our review.”

The Maple/Ash Review is primarily a venue for local authors and poets, especially those who live or work in the Maple/Ash neighborhood. Named after the historical neighborhood in north Tempe, AZ, The Maple/Ash Review aims to create an inclusive and nurturing environment for Tempe's artistic and literary community. “We just hope that the community enjoys and gets behind the magazine.” says Drew S. Swenhaugen. To which Brent adds “After 5 months of working on the magazine with all of our spare time and at our own costs, always with the questiont of how it will enhance our community, we have a real emotional investment in its acceptance. I think what I really want is to hear people asking me 'how can we become a part of this?' or at least a 'keep on truckin' or maybe 'here's a ton of money so you can keep printing!'”

However, as locally focused and Do-It-Yourself The Maple/Ash Review is, it is breaking through with a big impression on the literary community and has garnered contributions from internationally renowned and bestselling authors. The Maple/Ash Review, No. 1 features three previously unpublished works by Steven Hall, author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Raw Shark Texts. The Maple/Ash Review No. 2, slated for an August 2008 release, will feature one of the biggest names in contemporary short stories, author and filmmaker Etgar Keret. Etgar Keret is the author of short story collections The Nimrod Flipout and the recently released The Girl on the Fridge.

The Maple/Ash Review No. 1 will be available on a donation basis at Three Roots Coffee House, Cartel Coffee Lab and Ash Ave. Comics, all of which are in Tempe, AZ. People may reach the people of The Maple/Ash Review through their website http://www.mapleash.org/. It is not available in bookstores. If you would like to meet the creators in person, hang around Three Roots Coffee House in the evening. They'll probably be there.

About The Maple/Ash Review (Mission Statement)

The Maple/Ash Review is a community literary project in Tempe, Arizona, built by neighbors and friends to strengthen and enhance our social environment through the physical presence of artistic and literary networks and materials. We seek to facilitate an inclusive arena for artists and writers of all genres. We encourage education of the literary community with this venue for the free exchange of ideas, artistic experimentation and first-time showings. All forms of art are encouraged, but we reserve a special focus on written word. People of all ages, expertise and experience (and lack thereof) are encouraged to contribute. People of all places are welcome, but special attention is given to local authors.

Through these principles, let us all create an inclusive and nurturing environment for our artistic and literary community. The Maple/Ash Review is for lovers of our neighborhood to establish a voice, to bond a people, and to further enhance a life that we view as good for ourselves.