We spoke with Peter Campion, editor-in-chief of Revel, in our latest Member Spotlight.
What is the history behind Revel? When was it founded and what is its mission?
Revel was founded in 2023, and our first issue, which was edited by the poet Atsuro Riley, came out in early spring 2024. The history goes further back, though. The publisher of Revel, Patrick Davis, has a long engagement with modern and contemporary literary publishing. We had been talking about magazines we loved and what we think a great magazine could be for several years up until then, as friends and as colleagues at Unbound Edition Press.
Revel received CLMP’s 2025 Firecracker Award in Magazines/Best Debut; the judges’ citation notes, “Revel dashes out of the gates as an assured, groundbreaking, and dynamic literary magazine.” What does this recognition mean to you?
This is wonderfully gratifying. It means a lot to us that we were selected by a board of judges who are themselves superlative editors. We certainly strive to be both assured and dynamic, and it’s hard but rewarding work. We have the support of a great managing editor, Cory Firestine, and I think that helps to assure. We’ve also been fortunate to have such superb authors and artists contribute their work. We want the magazine to represent the work we do at Unbound Edition Press, and to be first and foremost outwardly facing, welcoming, and dedicated to a public conversation about the arts.
The Firecracker judges also lauded Revel’s “elegant design.” Can you tell us more about the aesthetic and design choices that go into creating each issue of Revel?
The magazine is designed by two real pros, Joe Floresca and Eleanor Safe, who are both professional designers with years of experience and international training. I’ve worked as an art critic myself and I still learn so much about design every time we meet with Joe and El.
Can you tell us about the Revel Gold List and the Revel Guild? What inspired these lists, and how are they curated?
The Gold List is a list of books and the Guild List, a list of independent bookstores.
We believe in books—in individual volumes, and in the importance of independent booksellers. So we use those lists to highlight the contributions of authors and booksellers we ourselves appreciate.
How can readers, as well as bookstores and magazines, order Revel? Are you working with a distributor?
We’re happy to be distributed by Itasca Books. You can also order Revel from our publisher, Unbound Edition Press.
How can interested writers submit their work to Revel?
We’re closed for submissions now, but that will change, so please keep an eye on our website. We look forward to reading more new and original work.
