note from the editors - issue 007

the proof copy of issue 007 has arrived and she’s beautiful - that means mnemotope is officially in production and coming very very soon! we’re so beyond excited to share this issue with you and get all of the wonderful stories it hold into your hands and homes. we’re so excited about it, in fact, that we couldn’t wait until it comes out and had to give you a sneak peek at the very first page - our note from the editors, and the list of phenomenal contributors we were lucky enough to include. there are lots of clues in here - and not only about the contents of issue 007…!

welcome to the seventh issue of mnemotope magazine!

mnemotope is a magazine published by bog bodies press, that exists to provide a wide and welcoming platform for the brilliant stories that traditional literature often overlooks. there is no theme, nor restrictions on grammar, writing style or form - as a result, it holds an incredibly varied collection of written and visual arts from all over the world. it’s a publication grounded in the fact that everyone is a storyteller and our firm belief that stories are drivers of change that belong to people, not to literary institutions.

the stories we have access to shape our perspectives. they can show us things we’ve never imagined and reflect parts of ourselves we thought we’d never see. knowing we can tell our stories and be heard is just as impactful - it gives us courage in our voices and connects us to other people.

the magazine works on the basis of a (very open) open call, where we invite absolutely anyone to send us their stories. our open calls accept handwritten notes, voice memos which we transcribe, screenshots of text message exchanges, essays, poetry and stories in whatever form they come to us, from all over the world. the magazine is a platform that allows us to showcase them in a way that amplifies how brilliant they are, and get it to as many people as we can. when designing the magazine, we pair pieces together that we feel speak to each other somehow. the order of the spreads are then randomised - this means that there are no hierarchies of placement and the magazine picks up and spins and slows down and starts again as you move through it.

this edition was a turning point for mnemotope, in the most wonderful way possible. we received more submissions than ever before so we had to re-think the format to give the magazine space to grow with our community. the seventh issue holds longer stories alongside the poems we’ve always so dearly loved. there’s less fantasy than in previous issues and more direct observations of the times we’re living in today; at times fearful, at times angry, at times joyful and warm. we might be predisposed to the slightly woowoo, but it does seem somewhat like a miraculously-timed message to us - this issue reminds us not to turn away from the things that are hard to face but to be uplifted by noticing the wonder around us, sharing both with community wherever we can.

we’re always finding new ways to do just that - bringing people together in real life or online. our range of events is widening from launches to storytelling supper clubs, writing circles and workshops, building more frequent places for us to meet and find parts of ourselves in the stories of one another. to find out what’s coming up next, you can have a look on our website (bogbodiespress.com), our instagram or our substack (@bogbodiespress).

we are so hugely grateful to everyone who submitted to this issue of the magazine - it exists solely because of you and we never take for granted the trust it takes to share your work with us. thank you, equally, to you for reading, for breathing life into mnemotope through your eyes or your voice, for being the most important part of it all. we hope you’ve found something in these pages that you’ll carry with you - we most definitely have.

take a seat, enjoy the many many stories ahead of you, see you soon -

your bog bodies

lilou & réi