SVSU’s literary journal, Cardinal Sins, held its Publication Reception on Monday, Dec. 4, in the Alumni Lounge to celebrate its Fall 2017 issue that will be distributed around campus next month.
The undergraduate-run publication includes work from writers and artists not only located in the Great Lakes Bay Region, but all across the world. Issues are released bi-annually and feature submissions that are blindly judged. This particular issue of “Cardinal Sins” hit the 100-page mark for the first time in the publication’s history.
“We want to share important stories and art,” said Anna Paling, a senior Professional and Technical Writing major who serves as the Design Intern for Cardinal Sins. “We bring together a cast of diverse forces and timely pieces that relate to current affairs, creating a more personal feel.”
Cardinal Sins strives to reach people with their unique work by accepting submissions from all across the world, including submissions from as far as India and Australia. Even though it is competitive to be published, over a half dozen new SVSU artists were featured alongside a handful of alumni.
“It’s been a great platform for me personally,” said former SVSU student Erin Case, who was the cover artist and the Color Artwork category winner. “’Cardinal Sins’ has proven to be a great way to build connections and also display my work.”
Case has been involved in both artwork and poetry with the publication since 2011. She has won nine awards with “Cardinal Sins” and has been published in over 100 publications. She believes that “Cardinal Sins” has the ability to make a difference in peoples lives.
“It gives everyone who is published the feeling of accomplishment,” Case said. “It feels really good to get confirmation that you aren’t wasting your time and your work is truly valued.”
The Fall 2017 edition took on a whole new look when Paling spearheaded design changes that hoped to add to the consistency and visibility of the “Cardinal Sins” brand. Per usual, the publication matched artwork and writing, with a consistent template throughout. With this issue, the goal was to add an element of brand awareness to the cover page.
“We wanted to create a more modern and consistent brand,” Paling said. “I thought our cover turned out well, and we achieved a more consistent design that encapsulated what ‘Cardinal Sins’ is.”
The publication is meaningful to not only those who are involved with the production, but it also impacts those who decide to pick up a copy.
“I love finding a copy and using it to take a break from school,” said Shannon Hardy, an SVSU student who won the Black and White Artwork category in the publication. “It allows for a nice mental break and for everyone to enjoy both artwork and writing.”
“Cardinal Sins” has always been focused on releasing consistently high-quality work in order to showcase art and writing throughout campus.
“We hope to get people reading and provide a high-quality journal for everyone to enjoy,” said Mackenzie Bethune, a third-year geography student and associate editor for Cardinal Sins.
The next round of submissions for the journal will be a hybrid genre contest with the theme “Split.”
