Jude's Thoughts On Issue One - Out of the comfort zone into the zine.
I'm not one of the cool kids, never was. Never really tried to be, because I'm basically very lazy and being a cool kid looked like hard work. I find myself on the edges of things; it's a handy place for making a swift exit, there's a bit more elbow room than those in the centre of everything have, and there's a bit more tolerance for goofy idiots who arse about and fall over a lot.
I'm an only child, and suspect only children are a bit more prone to being out on the edge. That's kind of I met Jack; out on the edge, being a bit weird. But not being in the cool zone makes it easier to step out of your comfort zone, because your comfort zone is not actually all that comfy (there should definitely be more cushions and blankets out here, and biscuits - not dangerous Hobnobs or the dreaded pink wafers though).
Starting Neither Fish Nor Foul was definitely a step out the comfort zone. I'm very good at ideas - there's half a dozen incomplete novels, a list of about 50 other ideas, plans for a couple of businesses and a heap of former bosses with a lot of grey hair caused by my endless 'oh, but we could do this, add that, streamline here'. Left to my own devices, I'm less good at following through with them (hence the unfinished novels). Jack made the follow-through happen.
The best thing about working with Jack is the 'why the fuck not'ness of it. Our EIC should be a taxidermied bear...sure, why the fuck not. He's being chased by gangster geese who want protection money in the form of stories...sure, why the fuck not. I've accidentally typed the work foul instead of fowl, but I kind of like it, shall we keep it...sure, why the fuck not. And she adds to the nonsense, so it grows and becomes a thing of beauty. Most people run a mile from the inside of my head (and I don't blame them, the noise, the flashing lights, that weird clown on a tricycle that circles by every now and then). Jack looks at it all and says 'sure, why the fuck not.'
So the next time you have an idea, and it seems a bit out there - whether it's a story that seems a bit wild, or a new venture (a literary zine of you own, maybe?), be more Jack and say to yourself 'why the fuck not?' and jump outside the comfort zone. You might end up with something cool.
We have such exciting plans for future issues. Issue Two, which will come out in December, is already filling up with some fantastic stories and we're thrilled that each piece will get its own piece of original artwork. A little mid-winter pop of colour and joy, with added swans and aliens.
Issue Three will be another themed issue - more than themed. I don't even know what the word is, but it's going to be brilliant.
All that and Issue One (also brilliant IMHO) hasn't even dropped yet....
Speaking of Issue One (out 18th October, did we mention that?)..... Meet some more of our contributors
Kody Greene
Kody's story, Cuddles, is a tender moment between a father and his young daughter. Of course there are no monsters under the bed. Are there?
“Daddy!” Bella’s voice yelled through the baby monitor on the bedside table.
“Daddy!” I want cuddles.”
I sighed, shifting in bed to look at the clock. 3:06. Beside me, Anna pushed me with her leg.
“It’s your turn,” she grumbled sleepily.
Louella Lester
Stories don't have to be long to make an impact. The Doctor Warned Us is small and mighty, with sharp teeth.
When we visited she lay in bed, her favourite childhood stuffed toy, the worn out almost furless Wolfy, resting next to her.
Bud Pharo
Drama In The Diorama: Halloween vs Christmas has a witch, and we said no witches. But this one's an animatronic shop display, not a real witch. Bud's story made us laugh out loud. We are sure it will do the same for you.
“I hate this fucking job!” the disgruntled night security guard muttered to himself as he did his rounds in the empty department store.
Hunter. A. Allund
Despite this issue's scary things theme, very few stories have content warnings. Even though Hunter's story Not So Porous Borders has the most charming voice, it also has one of the few content warnings. Who would have thought raccoon grief would be one of our warnings.
Chulem’s over there on the Always Rock. It feels bad to leave such a cunning and brave raccoon on the side of it.
Meet our final storytellers next time ...