Call for Submissions: Sound-Bites Zine, Issue 7.0

Sound Bites Zine

It’ll make you lucky! This time around, listen to the storm.

Is it booming out loud or a quiet patter of rain?

Does it dispel the humidity or bring more?

Do you feel your head clearing or your heart beating?

Whatever and wherever the storm is to you, now is the time to pay attention to sound. Perhaps there are raucous storms where you previously believed there existed a pearly pool of calm. I’ll be writing a follow-up piece with more ideas for you on how to begin listening and increase your listening fun.

Send your answers (photos, doodles, sound recordings, poems, lyrics, short prose, found objects) to simplynotjaded@gmail.com. They can be your original work or the work of another artist/author/musician who addresses the question.

All contributors get a free physical copy in the mail along with endless love and ice cream.

Happy listening!

Rain Check

image

Today got away from me in a whirl of getting mail ready to go, errands, and a belated birthday meet up with a couple of of friends. Time flies when you’re having fun, and here we are.

Now I can go back to being a happy little hermit for a few weeks, at least, so there shouldn’t be any more delays for a while. ^_^

Zine Review: Pieces #11 On Connecting Through Friendships, Letters & Zines

Pieces 11 Zine

I’m not sure what’s going on with my colouring in this pic because the cover of this zine is definitely yellow, not cream/tan/whatever.

Pieces #11 On Connecting Through Friendships, Letters & Zines
Nichole
http://wemakezines.ning.com/profile/Nichole
https://www.etsy.com/shop/fictionandnot

I’m usually so utterly focused on reviewing things in order, but when you have a zine series you love, you make exceptions…

In a way, jumping from Pieces #5 to Pieces #11 has been interesting in that Nichole’s writing ‘voice’ has changed so much. There seems to be this level of inner acceptance in this zine that I didn’t pick up in previous zines. That’s one of the reasons I love being able to ‘stay with’ a zine series over time – people change and grow.

That being said, I was very happy to see that Nichole’s cut and paste style that I have loved over the course of this series is still going strong in #11.

Nichole talks about taking a new approach to interactions with people, the beauty of letters, and meeting penpals in person in the setting of Chicago Zine Fest 2014. The inner acceptance that I mentioned earlier really shows in the beginning pages,the very first starting with the words “hello, hello” and the second pages displaying her mailing address with an open invitation to connect.

The funny thing is that I felt this shyness come over me at such an invitation. Not unpleasantly so, though.
The zine wraps up with beautiful thoughts about cultivating ‘second homes’ – those spaces where we feel safe to stop in and comfortable enough to stay. I loved the imagery and loved being reminded of little things that I can do to make my own life a happier one.

For me, the Pieces series continues to be everything I want in a perzine in both aesthetic and content. Nichole makes me think but doesn’t lecture, and I always feel welcomed in rather than forced to watch from the outside.
Definitely grab a copy.

Happy Mail – Epic Envelope Art Edition

I love mail. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that nearly enough this month.

Just kidding. I know I say it pretty much every other day, but it really makes me feel so awesome. It also makes me want to start making happy mail videos. ^_^

Anyway, on to the mail!

Birthday Happy Mail

This is a lovely little birthday bundle from a friend at Swap-Bot. If you haven’t heard of the site and love mail, then definitely check it out. There are so many groups, swaps, and ways of finding new mail friends.

Fishspit Happy Mail

I knew I had some happy mail coming in from Fishspit, but I had no idea what I was in for! So much awesomeness – and my very first cassette recorded by someone else. (I am old enough to own cassettes, but no one has ever made me one before). That along with a nice long letter and… what’s that…

Green Kitty

Isn’t he cute? He’s so tiny. A lovely little surprise to travel along with the zine goodness.

Of course, with Fishspit comes epic envelope art collages!

Fishspit Art Front

Fishspit Art Back

I will never fail to be impressed by Fishspit’s dedication to collage. I always know when something is from him. ^_^

And, just because, Green Cat is now on my desk next to my Mario 1up mushroom.

Green Cat

I hope you’ve all had a wonderful day. If you haven’t and would like some mail cheer, feel free to leave your mailing address in the comments. I’m doing some major destashing right now, so I have all sorts of things that I can send. ^_^ Seriously.

A Quick Note

Someone asked me if Dear Anonymous accepts poetry, so I thought I would clear that up here.

Yes!

While Dear Anonymous is primarily made up of letters, that’s not the format that works best for some people. As long as you want to say something to [the world/the ex/the best friend/that awesome cup of coffee/the cat/etc], then do so in the way it feels best for you to express yourself.

Dear Anonymous

Done, Doing, Dreaming

Done

*I’ve finally got my technology working *knock on wood* so here is a picture of my mic that I didn’t get to post last DDD:

SGZ Gold Mic

*I updated the Zine Review Index, but not it needs updating again because I’ve slipped into once-a-month updating. Le sigh.
*In case you missed the post, I also put up a Zine Videos page.
*I’ve finally finished the audio for DCMC 1. I will let you know as soon as it’s up in Billy’s Bunny Ears Audio Zine Distro.

30th Birthday

*I also donned my too-small pink tiara and celebrated my 30th birthday. Thank you all for the birthday wishes.

Doing

*I am working on answering interview questions that came from Zine Nation!I am genuinely excited that anyone thinks I know enough about about anything to interview me. Haha.
*Dear Anonymous 5 and DCMC 5 are still in the works because I am very possibly incapable of getting organised…

Dreaming

*I’m still dreaming of and saving up for a badge machine. I have so many ideas.
*I’m also dreaming of the possibilities of videos, podcasts, so on and so forth. If you have a preference for a specific kind of media (YouTube, Vimeo, podcasting on the wide variety of sites, Snapchatting, something) feel free to start up a chat about it. Tell me who/where your favourites are.
*I’ve started dreaming about typewriters, but I’m not sure if the reality will be as awesome as the dream due to upkeep…