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Queer Zine Fest London 2012, one word… awesome!

Zinesters Do It On The Photocopier

[Image: A photograph of a dark-skinned hand holding a green sticker with the slogan: “Zinesters Do It On The Photocopier” and the name and URL for The Queer Zine Archive Project] I got this sticker free, whee!

I had an amazing time at Queer Zine Fest London 2012 yesterday. I woke up today intending to have hot chocolate for breakfast, get really excited filling in my spreadsheet of what I traded/sold and write-up the zine fest, and I did have a hot chocolate, and I totally got excited filling in my spreadsheet, but then I spent all day reading zines; and not even the ones I swapped/bought. I’ve been online all day, ostensibly writing this up, but actually just clicking links and reading the entire internet, practically.

Oh, where does the time go?

Anyway, here’s some rambling, yay!

I was really ill-prepared for this festival because I procrastinated loads over re-printing/photocopying my zine – my layout kind of makes it a pain – so I didn’t do that until the preceding Thursday, and then I was working for 12 hours on the Friday and suddenly it’s Saturday already.

So, I spent a lot of time sewing pages together at the fair. Which was pretty cool. I forgot that I like doing crafty things at the table. Next time I hope I remember to bring knitting or some such. (Because I intend to be much better prepared next time).

Also, it was quite a small festival, but I was there from 11.30am until 7pm and I still didn’t get to all the tables or eat any vegan cake. Wtf?! So, yeah, packed full of queers and their zines. Happy happy me. 🙂

I’m pretty introverted most of the time, except at things like that, so I was super-bouncy and squeeing a lot.

I am really bad at initiating things; thankfully, I scribbled a note – “I DO SWAPS TOO. =)” – and a bunch of people came over and asked if we could swaps zines, and I said yes. Amazeballs!

Here are links to people with whom I traded zines:

  • Sarah Tea-Rex: Graduating into Unemployment (Yorkshire/Sussex, 2011) & I Am Not The Rain (I’m totally fangirling you Sarah and I’m not even a girl. Hurray for the Mutual Appreciation Society!)
  • A-K Pirata (Princess Pirata): Spellbook for Reckless Children & Drifting Clouds (2012)
  • Sergi Jimenéz: Who is John Trouble (London, 2012)
  • Jason (I think, but we didn’t introduce ourselves to each other and I have a terrible memory for faces, gah!): Mark ‘n’ Jason Summer Annual 2001
  • Sophie Mayer: Binders Full of Women (2012)
  • Stephanie Chan: Foreigner Go Home With Me (2012)
  • Pilar Awa Owl: Myth Story of a Healing Journey (2011)
  • Yas Lorentz: Terrible Triad (London, 2012)
  • Chella Quint: Adventures in Menstruating #6 (Sheffield, 2011)

…and I didn’t actually just buy any zines. Which is a first for me, I think. Whoa. Sabba was right when she said that swapping is the way to go. Which reminds me, Sabba, I totally owe you an email.

Pilar and I shared a table with Sophie Mayer (co-editor of Binders Full of Women), which was awesome – thanks for being fab tablees peeps!

I met/bumped into a bunch of awesome people (including all the above). It was all pretty awesome.

I’m tired, but inspired and invigorated, and I’m looking forward to when some of the seasonal-busy-ness is over and
I can curl up on a sofa with a mug of hot chocolate (er, yes, there’s a theme) and a pile of zines.

Bliss.

Some other people I saw/met briefly and wished I’d had more time:

  • Charlotte Richardson Andrews; you did a totes awesome job organising!
  • I met manouk at the end of the day, who had a stunningly beautiful stall – riotmade with love
  • I saw and meant to go back to a stall that had The Most Positive & Uplifiting & Empowering messages on it, and now I can’t remember who/what it was (gah! same side of the room as Princesa Pirata, and on the same table as Cartoon Kate)
  • I meant to trade for Morgenmuffel issues 2-12, but I was too slow and it sold out before I got back. *Clicks link* OMG it’s online, INSTANT JOY!
  • I caught sight of Will of Z is for Zines a few times. But I was too shy to say hello. (Doh!)
  • Stumbling around links to zinesters today, I wish I’d met Mister Briscoe
  • Following links online, I’ve just spent ages reading Kate Evans (cartoon Kate)’s thefoodoflove.org blog; I love it! Kate gave me a couple of awesome photos, including this one:

Dear Pete, yes. ...I am a clit-lickin lesbo and PROUD.

Caption: “Dear Pete, yes. …I am a clit-lickin lesbo and PROUD”, a free photo of a subvert (subverted advertisement); thanks Kate!

<3

 

Posted in Stuff about Zines.


One Response

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  1. johanna (manouk) says

    hej you… thank you for the review of this nice day! i wanted to get your zine as well – it’s so good that you have it online here – even though it would be better, if we would have traded. i am looking forward to read it.