Posts

Posted on

Done, Doing, Dreaming

20160203_175621

Done

*I decided last minute to take yesterday off. Not the best decision, and certainly impulsive, considering I had to travel to Melbourne today. Oopsie.
*Medical appointments are finally done for the time being, which means I get to stop talking about it. 😉
*I’ve ordered a nice mic, a replacement part so I can actually use the mic on my computer, and some nice lights so I can (with luck and practice) take nicer pictures.

Doing

*Dear Anonymous 5 is still in the works, so feel free to send those letters.
*I’m working on a special issue of Don’t Call Me Cupcake for #5…
*I’m catching up with emails, likes, comments and such. This is what my tab bar looked like…

Catching Up

Dreaming

*I’ve been dreaming big about a badge making machine. Someday one will be mine, and Zine Ninja’s image will go worldwide!
*I’m still far away from actually podcasting, but I’ll be able to hit the ground running when I do start.
*I am looking forward to putting out a few new calls for submissions for zine ideas I have swirling around in my head…

Posted on

Zine Giveaway Winners!

Last Sunday, I put up a giveaway for the chance to win a zine as part of the International Zine Month fun stuff.

Weeeeeell, you may have noticed the plural (winners) instead of the singular (winner) as part of the post title. Here’s why…

I’ve been struggling a lot with depression powered with a SAD battery pack. Add on the bad things happening in the world that I feel like I can’t do anything about, and you have a Nyx who is struggling to get out of bed every morning. Maybe it’s silly or strange, but this site, this community, and the larger zine community keeps me getting out of bed (eventually) to face the day. Sometimes I don’t even understand it, but I’m certainly not going to question it.

In amongst the face-off with the black dog, Wanderer and I have had some good things happen. Little things that won’t change the world but made our world a little brighter. It’s with those moments in mind that I realised that if I could send just one zine per envelope…

EVERYONE CAN WIN!

say what again

That’s right. 🙂 Everyone who entered the giveaway last week wins a zine. Sadly, only *a* zine, but I’m one of those people who thinks five people getting a dollar is better than one person getting five dollars and the other four getting nothing.

Shivani, Idle Emma, Jennifer Nichole Wells, La Rainbow Vomits!, and PixieP:

Please send your mailing addresses to theauthor@inkyblots.com

I will respond within 48 (usually closer to within 24) to let you know that your email made it through. If you have any troubles, comment here and let me know.

Congratulations!

Posted on

Call for Submissions: Off Duty: An Overwatch Fanzine

Off Duty - Overwatch Fanzine

Off Duty is an Overwatch fanzine exploring the hobbies and pastimes of the Overwatch crew in their free time. Does Tracer use her blink abilities to snap the coolest mid-flight pictures ever? Does Soldier 76 put down the mask to pick up a watering can and a gardening spade? What shenanigans does everyone get up to when they’re given some time to rest and relax? Come find out!

If you’re an artist interested in participating, please fill out this form by July 20th! Depending on the response, we’ll either have one artist per character or two artists per character; please do get your submissions in and we’ll let everyone know the plan as it develops!

We are going to have digital copies up for sale for sure, and depending on interest and pre-order numbers, we can possibly do a print run! Pre-orders will start sometime in early September. Prices, what’s happening with printing and other relevant things will be coming soon, so keep checking back for more information, and if you have any questions, please do shoot us an ask here or email us at offdutyoverwatch@gmail.com!

Posted on

Zine Community Crowdfunding Spotlights

I’m doing something a little bit different today because I’d like to feature a couple of zine community crowdfunding projects. If we don’t support each other, who will?

ZICS

There’s only 24 hours left, at the time I’m posting this, and Pozible is an all or nothing crowdfunding site. They’re so close!

ZICS is a not-for-profit collective of passionate volunteers dedicated to connecting local zine and indie comic creators with the wider public. We strive to start inclusive conversations, collaborate on ideas, and share the art forms that we love.

We’ve been working hard since March to make this year the biggest ZICS yet, and now we need your help. As a not-for-profit group, we rely on your generosity to make this event happen. That’s where the Pozible campaign comes in. By pledging just five dollars of your hard-earned cash, you’ll be supporting Brisbane’s largest gathering of zine and indie comic enthusiasts.

[vimeo 174001842 w=425 h=350]

Our project is centred around multi-media artist Ana Hine, as she navigates making and distributing her feminist arts zine Artificial Womb around Scotland.

It will explore her experience of dropping out of the mainstream media, due to work-related stress, depression and anxiety, and the role zines are having in her recovery.

The film will touch on:
zines and DIY culture
feminist arts scenes
mental health & employability
We would like to showcase the work of other zine makers who have had similar experiences with mental ill-health. If you’d like to be featured (and are within driving distance of Glasgow and/or Dundee) get in touch!

Posted on

Happy International Zine Month – Days 15 + 16

I know. I said I’d put up two reviews yesterday, but I just couldn’t do it. It might not really matter, but I love to let each zine review have the day to itself.

Eventually I will experiment and see if it actually matters…

On with International Zine Month stuff!

Day 15: Leave a zine in public for someone else to find

Day 16: Send your zine to a distro for consideration.

I wish I had some pictures of a grand, sneaky zine drop somewhere local, but, alas, I do not.

More reason I should look ahead on the IZM day tasks and, you know, plan. Oopsie.

The second task is actually a little funny in that I have been trying for the past couple of weeks to make copies of all my zines to send to Sticky Institute. (Or drop them in, should the timing ever finally work out to be right.)

If anyone is participating in IZM and blogging about it, please let me know! I’m making a bad show of it. 😉

Posted on

Zine Review: O’Flannigans 1-5

20160625_115416

O’Flannigans 1-5
Jessica
oflanniganszine@gmail.com

I’m taking liberties with the capitalisation and the apostrophe. Apologies if I’m wrong! Apologies also to Jessica, who sent these to me for review and, between the time for the zines to arrive and me finally reviewing them, has been very patient.

O’Flannigans is a mini-zine series dedicated to the local music scene in Logan, Utah. Along with a collection of fun bits and bobs, you will find the Music Report (complete with header banner and rock fist) complete with what you’re missing out on if you’re not there.

It took me a moment to realise that ‘Why Sound’ is where the music is happening rather than this imagined O’Flannigans pub I had going in my head. That’s my fault due to extended time spent at pubs over the years. Noticing that made me realise that there aren’t really details as to the location of Why Sound or even any pointers to Logan, Utah. (I found that on the note Jessica included.)

Having a zine dedicated to your community is definitely an awesome thing, no doubt about that. But a few details go a long way if your zine escapes the ranks and wanders out into the rest of the world. Though I should note the email address is now included.

Beyond that, though, this is a fantastic little zine series. There is so much going on in such a little space – it’s fantastic! Backgrounds, drawings… There’s a little Ouija board in one, a crossword in another… I really love the colour accents that change in each issue. In a black and white zine world, colour is an excellent way to stand out and give your zine some pop.

You can easily tell that there is so much passion going into these zines from the things I’ve already mentioned to quotes like this:

The night ended with Like Wildfire savagely kicking ass with their chaotic hardcore jams.

Why do I love that sentence so much? Doesn’t matter. It’s awesome.

All this passion and energy makes the fact that this mini-zine is free even more awesome.

Posted on

Happy International Zine Month – Day 14 + Review Rain Check

I have to postpone today’s review, but that just means double the awesomeness tomorrow.

🙂

http://giphy.com/gifs/rainbow-lol-gif-vomit-LwIw5RCH3hwGc

This day got away from me in so many ways, though not unpleasant ones. But I did still want to take a peek at today’s task before bed:

ValenZINE’s Day! Write to ZineCrush.com (or your zine crush!)

If you’re wondering why I didn’t link to the site name, it’s because apparently not a site as such anymore.

Sad face.

I have zine crushes all over the place insofar as I admire all the people who have such great artistic abilities, I love seeing zines that have been going for a long, long time, I crush on zine makers who stuff there zines full of interesting content…

I have crushes on zinesters who also make/sell buttons. Especially on those who run distros and have done so successfully for years.

<3

If you have a zine crush, let me know! I'm always on the lookout for new zines/zinesters to take a look at.

Posted on

Happy International Book Month! Day 13 + Done, Doing, Dreaming

I love that we have a whole month. We’ve taken it, and we’re not giving it back! (But we’ll share, of course.)

http://giphy.com/gifs/rainbow-lol-gif-vomit-LwIw5RCH3hwGc

Welcome back to another beautiful (there was actually sun here, I am so happy) day of International Zine Month. So what’s on the agenda for today?

Zine Trade Day! Ask someone to trade zines with you

I’m going to tweak things a smiggle again today with this one to highlight a site that has been set up specifically for getting in touch with people who want to trade zines:

Zine Traders

I haven’t signed up (yet), so I don’t have a lot of details, but even if you’re not looking to trade right now, it’s a great way to find new zinesters to check out.

Win, win, win!

Now on to something I thought of while being so busy not sleeping the other night. Haha.

Done

*Recorded the audio versions for Don’t Call Me Cupcake 1 and Don’t Call Me Cupcake 2. Now I need to edit it and get it over to Billy da Bunny. Curious about audio zines? Check out Billy’s Bunny Ears Distro.

Doing

*Dear Anonymous 5 has been started. There’s still time to sneak in with a letter if you’d like to be a part of it.
*I’m looking for a nice but affordable mic for doing more recording.
*I’m finally ordering a photobox so I can take NICE pictures.

Dreaming

*I’ve been dreaming big about a badge making machine. Someday one will be mine, and Zine Ninja’s image will go worldwide!
*Podcasting! LogPoes was kind enough to have a listen to my first (and only) podcast, and that got me thinking about how much I wanted to get into doing that. And still do. I have to get the front panel of my computer replaced and look for a good mic, but it’s definitely on my mind.
*I am looking forward to putting out a few new calls for submissions for zine ideas I have swirling around in my head…