Ceris Aston

Do you want to read one, Karis?

Sure.

This is one from The Back of Beyond, which was published in June last year.

So that was the second issue, is that right?

That was the second issue, yeah.

We had so many poems where we looked through and were like, well, which one should we read out?

So this is called The Shadow People, and it's by Pete Thompson.

Thy shadow heads show on the lane Where shadow trees stand stark and plain Two shadow figures shaped like pegs Glide on fantastic shadow legs And on his shadow head see that One shadow wears a shadow hat

that makes the low sun's piercing rays cast deeper shadows on his face where underneath the shadow brim there's just the shadow of a grin

It's quite good for the time that we're in because so much is online now and I think that it helps with us being inclusive not only to our writers but to our readers.

Which was a big point when we started up.

Which is why as well we have the app.

Most of our readers are on the app.

We can introduce readers to the work, but in a variety of different ways.

I think that notion of inclusivity is one of the reasons why online.

Another reason, of course, is you don't have to pay for print runs.

I should say we're really lucky actually.

If we were paying for someone to build us an app,

we would not have an app.

Whereas we work with a wonderfully talented, I said web designer earlier, but sort of our digital publisher, Trevor, who used to make games for mobile phone.