Month: April 2017

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Call for Submissions: True Trans Bike Rebel (Taking the Lane #15)

Taking the Lane #15 is called True Trans Bike Rebel, and we are looking for nonfiction writing about the experience of being transgender and bicycling. Submissions can be essays or reporting about bicycling, or other topics or stories in which bicycles play a part (or other human-powered transportation).

Submissions can be any length; word count between 500 and 2500 words is ideal for this format. Single-color illustrations and photos are also sought. Please submit your work as an attachment or link in an email to elly at taking the lane dot com. The deadline is July 1, 2017.

All contributors will be paid a share of the net profits from the Kickstarter project used to fund the zine.

Taking the Lane is a feminist bicycle zine published since 2010.

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Zine Review: Queer Indigenous Girl

Queer Indigenous Girl
Se’mana Thompson
https://queerindigenousgirl.wordpress.com/

Queer Indigenous Girl is a full-colour perzine that covers topics like introductions, O’Otham culture, reading recommendations, and Se’mana’s experiences living with ADHD.

I must say that this zine has one of the most interesting introductions I’ve ever read. It’s an introduction that introduces Se’mana while also talking about the complexities of introducing oneself in the various cultures Se’mana is a part of. I was totally fascinated.

Aesthetically, this is quite a nice zine. The combination of full colour along with Se’mana’s cut and paste style makes for pages that are interesting to look at – and look at closely. I love Se’mana’s art collage. I find it hard to explain, but I looked at it and immediately saw a distinct ‘style’ to it.

The only thing that made me fuss a little bit is that the small size of the handwriting made it a little difficult to read by less than ideal light.

While reading this zine, I did get the ‘first zine’ feeling in that I found myself wanting more – to know and read more with everything. That’s a good thing, though. It’s people not being interested and not wanting to know more that means you need to worry.

If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you know how I can nitpick about contact details. Se’mana covers it like a champion.

Beautiful, clear, easy to read, and multiple options. Fantastic.

All up, I really like this zine, and I’m very curious about how this zine series will progress both in content and aesthetic.

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Zine Review: The Stay At Home Girlfriend 22

The Stay At Home Girlfriend 22
Kendy P. / MissMuffCake
http://www.missmuffcake.com/
www.missmuffcake.etsy.com

The Stay At Home Girlfriend 22 is a cute and fun perzine with a huge variety of bits and pieces inside.

If you want a ‘too long, didn’t read’ right from the get go: I really love this zine. On an ‘I would like to get the entire series’ level.

I’ve talked a few times about zines that have come into my life at the perfect time, and this zine is included in that. When I was writing down my review notes for this, I was also struggling to get any writing done, it was too hot to cook… I had to smile at how, despite the distance and time between her writing and me reading, I found so much in common with Kendy.

It didn’t stop there, however. Kendy touched on the topic of anxiety – specifically around other people. I imagine there are plenty of people out there who will identify with things like avoiding people they know at the shops. I love that Kendy later included an Anxiety First Aid list.

There is an ample ‘things I like’ section that had me eager to look up quite a few things – despite the ‘yucky but relaxing’ like that made me a little ill. But that simply proved to be a good reminder that people have all sorts of likes! It also made me want to try out blind boxes because I’ve never had one.

Kendy’s piece on zine community had me scribbling down so many different ideas for blog post topics and will definitely have me going back for multiple reads. There’s so much to think about, and my heart went out to Kendy as we’re reminded that it only takes one (or two) to spoil things – even in something as (usually) awesome as the zine community.

The thoughts on making zines that Kendy shares are beautiful and sad, just going to show that art is hard – even with the creative freedom that making zines can bring.

“You are like why am I doing another issue… Then you get a letter telling you how great your zine is… and you realize that not everything is always going to be good. Making zines is not always going to be great, easy or whatever.”

As I mentioned, this is a very cute zine with stickers, stamps, doodles, and such, but not so much that it’s overloaded or too much. The aesthetic really fits with the variety of different topics.

There is such a variety of things in this zine, and I think it’s a lot of fun. I know I have praised other zines for having longer pieces, but I think it’s all about the spirit of the zine. Bouncing from thing to thing really suits this zine and gets me excited about the content. The style suits the tone, which suits the voice, so on and so forth.

I will be reading this again and saving up for more in the series.

PS. Yay for long-held post boxes!

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Happy Mail – Wednesday Edition

Wowza. Apologies for no post yesterday. I hit a wall, dropped all my spoons, and needed a heck of a lot of sleep to feel somewhere close to normal again.

So here we are with a slightly late happy mail post. The first beautiful bit of snail mail happiness in my post box came from The Monster Ducky:

I’m so excited about a zine that is about mail. Talk about a zine that I can hardly wait to read!

I love the touch of the typewriter stamp as well.

Simon Mackie knows how to make clear contact details! Hehe. With the header of Simon’s stationery including all of Simon’s details, it’s impossible to mistake who it’s from. I’m looking forward to reading this mini-zine from all the way across the UK

Property Zine! This beautiful glossy mag has no words but a lot of colour, and I feel so fortunate that Property Materials has sent me a copy. 🙂

For the last bit of happy mail, I have something that isn’t really zine related. However, I’ve had so many questions and comments about it, I thought I’d include it.

My fidget cube!

Yep, these little cubes of amusement are real. I found one on Ebay. Mine is a mini; you can tell because mini fidget cubes come with a hole in one corner so you can attach a wrist band. That feature was important to me as I wanted one that I didn’t have to worry too much about losing.

Yes, it has been helping. I’ve had it for less than a week, so it’s hardly an objective view, but I’ve become rather attached to mine. It’s helped me to focus, to settle down a bit more than I would be able to normally, and it helps me to, well, fidget without feeling stressed or awkward about it.

There we have it! Happy mail this week from amazing, generous people from around the world. I wish I could fully express to all of you how happy it makes me to see something in my post box. Much love to you all!

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Bits and Bobs Update

Well, winter has definitely arrived in Victoria in grand fashion with a massive pissing down rainstorm with plenty of thunder. These are the sorts of days that put me in the mood to bundle up and poke away at various admin tasks.

Unfortunately, that doesn’t make it very exciting for you.

Unless you get really excited about me updating the zine review index.

While I’m puttering away with background stuff, I have updated the zine video playlist with some more video goodness to keep your awesome self entertained.

And if you have any suggestions for what you’d like to see me do if I ever get to making videos…

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Call for Submissions: felan Issue 11 Attraction

Submissions for our next issue, Attraction are now open. Submissions close Apr. 28.

What does attraction mean to you? What are you attracted to? Whether humans, kindness or glitter, we want to see your attraction in all its shapes and forms.

Email your submissions to felanzine@outlook.com. Submission guidelines here.

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Call for Art Submissions: Arospec Poetry Network

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The Arospec Poetry Network is seeking submissions from arospec visual artists to illustrate the second issue of its collective art/poetry zine “Don’t Talk To Me Of Love”.

This issue will center around the theme of freedom.

Artists have the choice between directly submitting original content related to this theme, or getting in touch with our members to work in closer relation and illustrate a particular piece of poetry.

We accept traditional art, digital art, photography, comics (1 to 2 pages), … You can always get in touch if you’re not sure whether you’re artwork would fit our zine.

All rights will remain with the artists. Since the zine is going to be a free publication, we cannot offer financial compensation. Submissions limited to three pieces at a time.

Due date for submissions is May 1st.
The zine should be released in June

You can contact us and/or send in your submissions per e-mail: meenilevi@gmail.com or through tumblr: @arospecpoetrynet.

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Calling Zine Makers, Libraries, Distros, And the Like

I’m at the very beginning stages of working on a new zine project. As part of this, I would like to include A5/A6 spaces (maybe even A7, if that works for you) that feature things like:

*Zines that have a rolling call for submissions (even if your zine changes theme/topic from issue to issue, an overarching ‘flier’ for the whole series would be awesome)
*Zine distros – whether you want to say ‘check out my distro’, are looking for zines to sell in your distro, or both!
*Zine libraries – again, whether it’s a ‘check us out’, ‘looking for zine donations’, or both, I’d love to see it
*Zine people who want to be included in an ‘open to trades’ section. I’m thinking name, preferred contact (or your mailing addy, if that’s the way you roll), and a few likes/dislikes.

The key thing here is that things be ‘undated’ (hence sharing a zine series rather than one specific call for submissions) so things aren’t out of date before I get the chance to create the thing.

Ideally, I’d like things to be images with text on them because of the limited space involved (with the exception of the trades section, which will be text only). But I want to be flexible, too. This project is really in its early days, so I’m still figuring a lot out.

If you want to get involved straight away (please do!) then you can shoot me an email (theauthor at inkyblots.com)

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The Freedom APA

Freedom APA is an alternative press association with one expectation: participate where, when and how you are able.

Annual Membership: Participation by sending items for the mailing a minimum of once per membership year PLUS $15 for US membership; $25 for rest of world. Items for the mailing bundle may include mail art, printed journals, chapbooks, zines, cds, dvds, cassettes, envelopes, postcards, bookmarks, recipes, stamps, letters, or whatever you choose to create.

Four bundles are mailed per year. The next mailing is scheduled for June 2017. If you send materials for the June bundle, 22 items are needed.

Membership dues may be sent via Paypal: singinggrove@conknet.com

Checks may be made payable to: Frederick Moe 36 West Main Street Warner NH 03278.

$6 postpaid for a sample bundle if you’re curious to check it out before jumping in.

Freedom APA is intended to be fun & embrace the spirit of personal journalism, zine making, letter writing, graphic arts, mail art, DIY printing, poetry, homemade music, creative projects, podcasting & more. Freedom APA is not an organization nor will Freedom APA have officers or by-laws. We have however add volunteer “staff” as Freedom APA grows.

With your support, this will be an enjoyable mailing circle project full of creativity. Freedom APA is a postal activity.

Please share with your friends!