Sybil’s Garage No. 3, a literary magazine published in Hoboken, was released in March by editor-in-chief and Hoboken resident Matthew Kressel. This is the third issue of a project that grew out of a writing group and Kressel’s desire to “create something from scratch.” It includes the work of award winning writers of poetry and fiction.
From the first story in the collection by Eric Gregory about an airport security guard with a bad feeling, to the poem about the “harsh mistress moon” by Elizabeth Barrette, to the gripping confessional story “Holes” by Paul G. Tremblay – this volume of work is sure to grab the reader’s attention.
In addition, Kressel interviews local historian and legend Jim Hans, who at one time published another local magazine called Time Machine.
Kressel took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss how the magazine has evolved and to explain the process involved in a literary magazine.
Q & A
DS – So the magazine is growing. How much bigger is volume three than previous issues?
MK – Sybil’s Garage No. 3 is 76 pages, compared to 48 for number two. Plus, we used a slightly smaller font to fit more on the page. As for the print run, we printed three times as many copies as issue two.
DS – How many submissions did you get for this issue?
MK – We received somewhere around 160 fiction stories. We received a lot more poetry this time too, and the overall quality of the submissions improved greatly. We even received art, which was new and exciting for us.
DS – I see you have a list of associate editors. Did they help with the entire publication, or just submissions?
MK – The associate editors helped read and winnow the stories. Because we had so many readers (eight) the amount of reading stayed relatively low compared to other magazines of similar size. I did the design and layout myself.
DS – Was it a collaborative effort?
MK – I have a group of writer friends that I used (sometimes mercilessly) to bounce ideas off of (notably Kris Dikeman, who is a talented graphic artist). She and others gave me continual feedback as the magazine progressed, and I applied their suggestions through my own perceptual filters. They were invaluable, and the magazine is just as much their creation as it is mine.
DS – How long did it take to put this issue together?
MK – A long time! We started reading in early September 2005, intending to release by Christmas. We had selected all our stories by November, but the timetable kept getting pushed back due to my work obligations. I did the layout mainly at night and on the weekends as time permitted, so it progressed slowly. I finished the layout in early March, so I would say the issue took about six months from conception to completion.
DS – In this issue, I saw links between the different writers. Was this done on purpose? (For example – a piece on the Sun and the Moon, the reoccurring themes of death, the mysteries of the unknown, coincidence.)
MK – It’s funny that you say that. My father said after reading the issue that he noticed a theme of loss and death throughout. I don’t think this was done on a conscious level, but I was definitely looking for a certain aesthetic when selecting the stories and poems. I believe one of the things that unites humanity is our capacity to suffer, and I find characters more interesting when they suffer loss and heartache. But not all the stories are about suffering. Samantha Henderson’s takes place at Disney World! And Cat Rambo’s is a prose piece about the venturing artist. Quite by accident I placed Aurelio Rico Lopez’s poem “Time Slows to a Crawl” next to Jim Hans’ interview about his magazine called Time Machine. With Sybil’s Garage, I’m driven by intuition and feeling more than logic, and I believe that synchronicities are bound to happen if you allow that part of yourself to open.
DS – Do you find it to be a coincidence that you ran into Jim Hans?
MK – I don’t believe in coincidences. I think what attracted me to Jim’s magazine was the same thing that inspired him to create it. He said it succinctly in his interview that in a town like Hoboken, a place with so much history, you get inspired and want to create. Hoboken has been a creative force for a long time, and I don’t mean just artistically. Before it was a residential haven, this town was stuffed with factories producing all sorts of goods. [Hans] is such an incredibly fascinating guy with so much history behind him that I had to run into him sooner or later. I don’t know if all the new people now moving into Hoboken see and appreciate this town’s great history, but I do know that [Hans] is doing a fine job documenting it.
DS – How has your vision for a literary magazine changed?
MK – I don’t think it’s changed all that much. My skills as graphic-artist and typesetter have improved, and I believe that’s evident in the latest issue. Also, the number of talented authors willing to send us stories has increased. But what I initially set out to do is exactly what I am doing now: making the best magazine I possibly can.
DS – How has it stayed the same?
MK – The aesthetic is very similar to the previous issues. Something about art from the early 20th century appeals to me. I’m a huge fan of WFUV’s Big Broadcast, where they play music from the ’20s, ’30s, and ’40s. When I listen I get nostalgic for an era that I never experienced. I think juxtaposing stark line-art from this period next to literature from the early 21st century creates an emotional response in me, much like the nostalgia I feel when I listen to the Big Broadcast. I’ve tried very hard to convey this emotion to the reader both visually and through the stories I’ve chosen, and this feeling hasn’t changed much from issue to issue.
Submissions for volume four will be accepted over the summer. For more information, visit: Sybil’s Garage No. 3 at www.sensesfive.com. Volume three can also be found at: www.clarkesworldbooks.com.