an extra selection just because (or for the fourth of july): girl swirl by taryn hipp
Mood:  on fire
though i've come upon girl swirl a little late and have only read one issue, i know that this is very popular and well deserved. taryn writes honestly without being condesending to the reader by trying too hard. she uses everyday language that is refreshing to read. the layout is clean, word processed, and easy to read. the contributing illustrators created artwork that works together with the writing. topics covered include her long term relationship, her brother's heart condition, and teenage rebellion. A handful of zine recommendations round out this nostalgic read.

issue 11: 47 1/4 pages
cost: $2
address: taryn hipp . po box 312 . warrington, pa . 18976
email: tarynhipp@girlswirl.net
website: girlswirl.net plus all issues (still in print) are available at my my distro - http://mymy.girlswirl.net

make up selection: low hug by a.j. and contributors
low hug ten is an exceptional compilation all about the ways technology has touched each writers' life. this is almost heartwarming with essays focused on Atari, CB radio, computers, dead tech, BBS, cable, the story behind the 8 noble truths of the 8-track mind, and an extensive study of online dating. the intro also touches on having trouble with the zine community that is very relatable and everything is rounded off with some fun reviews. written by the authors of Xerography Debt, My Small Diary, 8-Track Mind, Fish with Legs, Thoughtworm, and more. atractive cover and clean, professional layout. looks great!

issue ten: 44 half sized digest pages
cost: $3
address: c/o aj michel 112 muir ave pmb 1057 hazleton, pa 18201
moving again soon so email for most current address
email: lowhug@yahoo.com
website: lowhug.blogspot.com

july selection: media whore by randie and contributors
media whore mixes personal and political, mostly with a focus on feminism. issue three is entitled, "make your own damn media!," though it doesn't focus on media as much as you'd expect. there are a few features such as interviews with women's radio group, the founders of venus magazine and kill rock stars, the cofounder of U5 press, and how to make a diy drive in. still, there are only a few tips on actually creating your own media. the subtitle may be misleading and the interviews are short, but it may still worth checking out if you are interested in the interviewees.

issue three: 36 half sized pages bound by red thread
cost: $1 or $2, unsure
address: 37 home street malden, ma 02148
website: mediawhorezine.com

update
Mood:  rushed
Topic: update
if i was on schedule i'd have two more done by now. well i have five finished reviews, it's just a matter of typing them up. i went to the portland zine symposium, plus had family in town for a week, so i just got a little behind and i appologize.

here's an update on what i've received:
she's not a morning person 6?
papercuts and promises 1
fertile ground 7
woven 6
rebel in magenta 16
honeypot 2 and 3
child that mind 3
revolution (with a catchy phrase) 3
happy birthday, a novel by jozril


and what i'm waiting on:
always fresh 1
my winter blanket
jagged pixie 4: beautiflicker
chocoholic
dirty jeans 1
soap
oh dear
i hear you like stories
holding hands 11
the solution is you
here, all is familiar
gretchen 4: the pieces of jennifer's body
imaginary life 5

from rick of poopsheet:
xerography debt 13 and 14
tretcheon hash novel

from neil for i.w.r.:
life in the bike lane
s.c.a.l.p.
bitchfest

from kathee for sew true:
Bent Lens #2: The First Issue
Brainscan #19
The Illustrated Guide to DIY Screenprinting
Orange & Blue #0
Nonsensical #6


reviews were also submitted to eye candy #7, which i hope to receive soon. i'd still love more of course, so send your zine in for review! all submissions will be samples for my small-time distro as well as part of a lending library unless otherwise stated. please view the website at geocities.com/bike_terrorist/bottlesonthesill.html
thanks!

june selection: east village inky by ayun halliday
if you don't know about the East Village Inky you probably don't keep track of the zine world. It's consistently funny, cute, and entertaining. named after the author's daughter Inky, this handwritten publication is focused on the misadventures of two parents and their two young siblings living in Brooklyn.
issue 19 travels from puppet shows to anti-war rallies to baby proofing. issue 22 is focused on lice and includes some of the funniest antics I've read in a while. each page is adorned with excellent cartoon illustrations and subscriptions are available. great for moms, readers that enjoy remembering youth, and those that like having a laugh.

issue 19 and 22: 40 1/4 pages each
cost: $2 each or a subscription for $8
address: box 22754 . brooklyn, ny . 11202
email: inky@erols.com
website: www.ayunhalliday.com

mother's day selection: geek the girl #10 and the color of my eyes by alissa malone
In this second print of issue ten the reader will be lead through life, death, and all the ups and downs in between. If birth, postpartum depression, suicide, or roommates are something that spark your interest you won't want to miss this. It's sad, wonderful, and very informative. The clean word-processed layout and many hard facts make this a great resource while still being interesting.
The Color of My Eyes can be bought alone or with issue ten and is a mini on obsessive compulsive disorder. It is personal and an even better resource than issue ten. It personally gave me many revelations on my own habits and was the most triggering zine I've read in a long time. If you have an interest in OCD then this is the best zine to buy.

Issue ten: 60 pages, quarter-legal size.
The Color of My Eyes one shot: 40 pages, quarter-size.
Cost: sliding scale of $3-5. Sample copies available to distros and wholesale rates are cheap.
Email: janesays5@hotmail.com
Address: 316 E Tremont Street . Waverly, IL 62692-1029
Website: http://www.mszerozero.0catch.com/index.html

may part two: Dream Whip by Bill
Bill is one of the greatest zine writers I've ever had the pleasure of reading work by. Dream Whip may not be as well known as Cometbus but it should be. In this massive issue Bill travels through Europe and moves in and out of Chicago. It's entirely handwritten with delicate and detailed line drawings of rich architecture. There is a way he describes the everyday that gathers in my chest. I can't describe it so here's an excerpt:

I get back to Texas and the first thing I do is put air in my bike tires. Then I ride out into the country and follow the same old route: past the farm house with the scary dogs in the yard; and past the old cotton gin; and past the gravel yard; and past the padlocked fireworks stand with the words "texas giant" painted across the side. It used to be all cotton fields south of town, but now the churches and the tract houses are springing up, and the cowboys in pickup trucks who used to give me the finger are slowly being replaced by soccer moms in s.u.v.'s who don't.
I get back to Texas and sort through the piles of old stuff at my parent's house. I stuff it in big plastic garbage bags - all of it, the trash of my teenage years, unredeemable and unrecyclable. I pack it up and haul it to the dumpster. Then I check my p.o. box and find a zine from a girl in seattle. She writes about road trips and the stretched-out heartbreak of driving across the country in july, when you sleep in soft grass and swim in cold lakes and drink black coffee in big cities. Road trips full of big cities where you stay up till dawn and watch the street sweepers sweep up every car window that got shattered last night.
I get back to Texas and I can't sleep. I lie awake with my light on, listening to the house creak and the air conditioner switch on and off. Downstairs my parents are getting old, and upstairs I am too. The girl from seattle sent a letter with her zine. She said she'd read one of my zines and thaqt she'd recognized something in it, the same restlessness that makes her restless, too. So she wrote, just like I've done a million times before. What else can you do? You play p.o. box numbers the way other people play lottery numbers - hoping for a pay-off, but knowing all along the odds are stacked against you.

Not only is this well worth $4 but if there is only one zine you ever need to read it's Dream Whip.

Issue 13: 234 pages, ? sized, bound with a rubberband
Cost: $4
Address: Box 53832 . Lubbock, TX 79453
Email: fgibe666@aol.com
Website: http://www.geocities.com/dreamwhipzine/

may part one: Mister Ken Clean-Air System by Shannon
This zine is fun. Topics range from postcards to holidays, Decartes, the only time Shannon promised she'd engage feminism, and ways to take over the world. It's all backed by some great cut and paste art. Though this is only issue two, there's a lot of promise for stellar future issues. Order this and have a break from all those serious topics you keep diving into.

issue two: 36 pages 1/2 sized, with special covers in various colors of paper and colored stitch bound
Cost: $1, two stamps, or trade
Email: skw3@hood.edu

release of i.w.r. #1
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: update
the first issue of i.w.r. has just been released. in this issue there are reviews of:

A Sonata for my Father #1 by Aubrey
aubergine by claire sewell*
LuLuland #3 + 4 by Amy Adoyzie
Stolen Sharpie Revolution, 2nd Edition by Alex Wrekk (by neil, not mine below)
The CIA Makes Science Fiction Unexciting #2
Murder Ballads #1 by Meredith Tucker*
high school girls by andrea*
mister fujiyama loves you #4 by sheena allen*
News From Nowhere #5 (spring 2004)
Zine World #20

some of which you'll find here. if you'd like to receive future issues straight to your email inbox visit http://www.feverpress.com


* means written by me

late april/easter feature: Stolen Sharpie Revolution -- 2nd Edition: A DIY Zine Resource by Alex Wrekk
i am sorry for any delay, but i moved and was not able to update the page for a while. i'll be back on track now so look for more reviews soon. this month's late feature was also written for Altar Magazine. with the move, it will not appear in the print issue but will be available online shortly. check below for a list of up and coming reviews!

The Stolen Sharpie Revolution is the definitive guide to zine making. It goes from the basics like answering "What is a zine?" to the experienced art of alternative bindings, making it appealing to first timers through seasoned writers. You'll find helpful tips on making your own including different layouts, printing options, and over coming writers block. For the little more accomplished there is help on understanding the rest like etiquette, dealing with distros/stores, and working through the post office. If you're not the writing type there's even related crafts including silk screening, making records, and running distros, plus much more.
The second edition has all that was great about the first release plus it has been perfect bound and extended by over 30 pages, bringing it to 128 pages of concise tips and tricks. It is still pocket-sized, easy to read, and well assembled for quick access. The layout is revised as well as the list of distros, stores, and libraries - the most indispensable aspect of the collection. Plus the new edition highlights how to start your own library and go on a zine tour. This guide is a must for zine writers and readers.

Second edition: 128 quarter size, perfect bound pages
cost: $3
address: microcosm publishing
5307 N. Minnesota Ave.
Portland, OR 97217-4551
website: http://www.microcosmpublishing.com/ and http://alexwrekk.diaryland.com/
email: alex@microcosmpublishing.com