Alumni Services

Going places

Recent graduates are balancing craft and creativity with multi-platform delivery, and reinventing the literary journal for the 21st century.

Beth and Annie working on the first issue

Far Off Places is the brainchild of Annie Rutherford, Trevor Fountain and Bethany Wolfe, three multi-disciplined Edinburgh alumni, and Ceris Aston, a graduate of the University of Glasgow.

Inspired by a visit to the Edinburgh International Book Festival, Beth and Annie came up with the idea for a zine that, would be small enough to fit in a pocket and which would attract people who might not otherwise pick up a literary magazine.

All things to all people

Far Off Places launched in spring 2013 and, alongside a print edition, includes audio and digital versions that are available to download from the website.

This multi-platform approach is part of the team’s express aim to, reach out to all readers (and listeners), but is also a reflection of the skills that they can draw upon as graduates of modern languages, design and digital media, and informatics.

People who might not otherwise buy a literary magazine do enjoy listening to stories being read to them or reading poems on the iPhone while waiting for the bus, and it’s great that we can offer that.

Deckchairs and tea

The seeds of friendship were sewn at the Edinburgh University Swing Dance Society but the team’s creative roots draw together a range of influences that extend far beyond the Lindy Hop or the Charleston, and include, the clean layout and sometimes whimsical tone of Oh Comely, the creative lifestyle magazine, and children’s books, literary deckchairs and tea.

Volume II, Issue II #2014 Sartorial

Far and wide

This diversity also extends to place and purpose, as the team are based around the globe and are pursuing a range of professional careers, creative projects and academic endeavours, all of which help shape the content and direction of Far Off Places.

Annie is based in Germany and is currently completing a MA in comparative literature. She also works at a literary centre, organising readings, workshops and other events.

Ceris is an editor and journalist, a frequent Skinny contributor, and recently founded the Edinburgh branch of No More Page Three.

Beth is the Communications Coordinator for the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute at Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. She is also working on a graphic novel.

Technical guru Trevor is based in Abu Dhabi, although the exact nature of his professional life is something of a mystery.

We like to pretend he’s Q from James Bond, but we don’t really understand what he does.

More information

You can find out more by visiting the Far Off Places website, or by attending a special Halloween themed magazine showcase at the Scottish Poetry Library on Thursday, 30 October at 6:30pm.

Find out more about the magazine showcase event