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Call for Submissions: Bullying Zine

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Looking for stories/essays (up to 500 words), poems (250-300 words) and artwork on the subject of ‘Bullying’.

Subject matter may include:
-confronting bullies & the outcome
-friends/peers/teachers who don’t intervene(bystanders)
-dealing with trauma/triggers (coping strategies)
-mental health (depression, anxiety, etc)
-thoughts of self-harm/suicide/revenge
-reaching out for help
-being ostracized (feelings of isolation, worthlessness, shame, grief, guilt, anger)
-what you would like to say to your bullies
-has bullying changed the ways you view peer groups today
-understanding bullies
-forgiveness (making peace)

Did the bullying take place in:
-elementary school
-high school
-college/university
-workplace
-community

*Please let us know if you would like to use your real name, an alias or if you wish to remain anonymous (or if you are writing/sending it on behalf of someone you know).

No fictionalized work, please.

Am accepting submissions until August 31st, 2015.
Email submissions to: sandra_reiki_@hotmail.com

Each contributor will receive a free copy of the zine.
Thank you.*

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Zine Review: Fat-tastic 3

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Fat-tastic 1
Sage
1/2 fold (US)
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/sage

(I have also reviewed Fat-tastic 1 and Fat-tastic 2)

Oh, I do love a series. Even with the wait that usually comes between one book/season/edition/issue and the next. With zines, I like ongoing series (apparently ‘series’ is both a singular and a plural) because it’s closer to getting to watch someone grow and change.

Fat-tastic 3 has what I think is a more serious focus. Not to say that the first two weren’t serious, but they were more broken up by shorter pieces, art, how-tos, etc. FT3 (mind if I abbreviate?) has some larger, hard-hitting pieces that you really need to sit down and ‘be’ with rather than skimming over/through. They are pieces to think about. There are some shorter pieces in here, including some art and an excellent poem. (I don’t often ‘get’ poetry, so take my ‘excellent’ rating as you will.)

But you can’t really hold submissions against the ‘curator’. People can only work with what they are given to work with. The fact that FT3 has a greater number of longer pieces says more about the psyche of the society around the zine than about Sage. But I won’t get too deeply into all that. What I mean to say is that I like it when there is a big mix of a lot of different content, but I can’t hold it against Sage that FT3 doesn’t have as much of the variety that I jumped into in FT2. It is what it is, and a good zine is a good zine.

I especially like that Sage included a piece about being underweight. It’s great to be supportive of the ‘big’ men and women out there, but it’s important to be body-positive for the other side of the spectrum, too. I feel like that group feels rather neglected as a whole, and Sage including this particular piece really lends to the maturity of the series (and likely the longevity because of it).

My only niggle is that I can’t seem to find a Fat-tastic 4. My no-patience conditioning is not working in my favour. 😉

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I am Alive!

The Terrible Two Flus… The Fortnight Flus… I will think of a name. Anyway, I am alive and – for the most part – recovered. Back to regular programming soon. excellent-4689_preview

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Call for Submissions: Cemetery Gates 2 – Spirituality

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Cemetery Gates has been doing well. I am ready to announce the next issues theme: spirits. I am not talking about techno-spiritualism: machines that go beep and bloop, garbled messages you think mean something or trying to make a profit off of people’s vulnerability. I will be discussing spirituality, the afterlife, making connections to the ones we love after they are gone.

Would you like to submit? If you have ever gotten a message/sign/something tangible from a dearly departed loved one please share your story. I am looking for short & sweet: 50 – 100 words. If I use your story you will get a copy once the zine is completed. Submissions are due via email by June 15 2015. Email me at: missmuffcake[a]aol.com with submissions or any questions. Thank you!

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Plague: Day 6

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Day One: It’s a Friday. Who doesn’t love a Friday? I don’t. Wanderer wandered home from the pub with an invisible enemy latched on…

Day Two: What a miserable start to the long weekend. A mere 12 hours after taking hold in Wanderer, The Plague has sunk its claws into me, too.

Day Three: My Plague is not Wanderer’s Plague. We are experiencing very different symptoms. Casa de Nyx is under quarantine.

Day Four: Wanderer is very slightly improved. We’ll take any good news. I am mostly improved, but I must head to the medic for other complications.

Day Five: Wanderer has slept most of the day. I think that’s good. I’m mostly recovered from my Plague, but I’m sneezing a lot… Like Wanderer did at the start of his Plague.

Day Six: Wanderer is almost completely recovered from his Plague. I am now in the middle of his Plague. Two plagues… Complications… I am reduced to watching YouTube videos all day.

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Call for Submissions: Dear Anonymous 4

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Dear Anonymous has a rolling, open submission, so you can submit your letters at any time!

DA4 is on its way, and you still have time to get your letters in. These letters can be confessionals, but they can also be whatever you like them to be. Write to your life, write to your cat, write to your past or your future… Dear Anonymous is about writing the letters of the things you can’t say for whatever reason.

Basically, you’re right in the 1 – 500 words range, but shorter is better. BUT, this zine is about expression, and I don’t want to force anyone to clamp down on their passion just for me. I’m flexible.

Send letters to theauthor at inkyblots.com If I don’t respond to you within a few days, comment here.

All contributors will receive a PDF copy. (Possibly a print copy depending on my financial status at the time of printing.)

*** Do you have a call for submissions for your zine? Let me know!

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Zine Review: Cultural Tease #4

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Cultural Tease #4
Scarlett
A6
http://culturalteasezine.tumblr.com/
https://www.etsy.com/au/shop/CulturalTease

Zines like Cultural Tease that are a collection of images and words make me a little nervous. Whether I like it or not, I always have this niggle in the back of my mind that I won’t ‘get’ it. I do console myself, though, with the thought that the people who make these zines don’t want me feeling that at all.

Cultural Tease 4 is a combination of quotes, images and a little text bit that I really liked. In fact, I quite liked a lot about this zine. Some of the writing was nearly sucked into the fold, but I could still read everything. I felt a little disappointed about the photos; I get that copiers take away quality, but a touch more clarity would have been good.

The opening quote about a suitcase (I’ll let you read it) got me thinking ‘Schrodinger’s Suitcase’, which was quite amusing. The interior part I mentioned before was about thinking through a ‘teenage’ show of rebellion. While I haven’t thought of that specifically, the thought process was so familiar that I actually laughed out loud. Been there (so many times), done that (so many times).

All up, I’m happy I came across this zine. I’m looking forward to checking out other editions.

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Call for Submissions: Found Photography Zine

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Open call for submissions for a new found photography zine (title coming soon) based in Houston, Texas! “Found photos are generally acquired at flea markets, thrift and other secondhand stores, yard sales, estate and tag sales, in dumpsters and trash cans, between the pages of books, or literally just ‘found’ anywhere.”

Please send in a scanned image (JPEG or TIFF preferred, at least 300 dpi) of your found photograph along with 2-3 sentences of where you found it (or if you are feeling inspired, send in a story!) and basic contact info to foundphotozinetx@gmail.com. If you don’t need the original photograph, you may send it to the following address to be included in the zine:

Found Photography Zine
PO Box 920740
Houston, TX 77292

There is no submission deadline. Release date for zine TBD, but hopefully in time for this year’s Zine Fest Houston in October. Please get in touch with me if you have any questions about submitting. Thank you!

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Call for Submissions: Cemetery Gates 2 – Spirituality

deathspreadbw

Cemetery Gates has been doing well. I am ready to announce the next issues theme: spirits. I am not talking about techno-spiritualism: machines that go beep and bloop, garbled messages you think mean something or trying to make a profit off of people’s vulnerability. I will be discussing spirituality, the afterlife, making connections to the ones we love after they are gone.

Would you like to submit? If you have ever gotten a message/sign/something tangible from a dearly departed loved one please share your story. I am looking for short & sweet: 50 – 100 words. If I use your story you will get a copy once the zine is completed. Submissions are due via email by June 15 2015. Email me at: missmuffcake[a]aol.com with submissions or any questions. Thank you!