This weeks interview is with Liz Mills!
I found Liz' zines thanks to 'Hello Amber's' website, where I promptly had to email her and request a trade for her zines. After reading her zines I knew I wanted to feature her on here so here is the interview
1. Name. Location. Age.
I'm Liz Mills-- I'm 25 & I live in Kathleen, Georgia. It's pretty much nowhere--- just outside of Macon, GA. My perzine is called YARNTEA! You should read it because it's awesome.
2. What are you listening to at this moment.
My husband watching TV! Haaa. For real, though, I can't get enough Partyline. Or Wanda Jackson!!! Her vocals make me wanna scream & dance. When I'm in the car, I like listening to NPR, Pandora radio (Bikini Kill/ Screeching Weasel radio).
3. What are some of your favorite zines?
That's a hard one! Functionally Ill, You've Got a Friend in Pennsylvania, Nothing Rhymes, Culture Slut, I Knew A Motherfucker Like You & She Said..., Telegram Ma'am. There's this comic zine called Kick in the Butt & I really enjoy it. I know I'm forgetting a lot. Oh! High On Burning Photographs! I just read issue #3 and I can't say enough good things. And Missy Kulik-- she has a bunch of mini zines & comics & whatnot--- I love her drawings. They're super cute. I could go on & on...
4. What do you want to be when you grow up?
I'm graduating from nursing school in June (I hope.) I love the idea of preventative health care--- I'd love to teach classes on health maintenance so people can have the information to take charge of their health. I'm currently on my psych rotation, and I love it- maybe I'll get to put all my therapy to good use? My favorite thing is writing--- poetry, zines, letters. I design cards & send them to people. All sorts of fun things. So, a letter writing, tea drinking nurse. Sounds good, huh?
5. Any practical tips for people who are interested in making zines?
JUST DO IT. I wrote a ton of zines and never showed anyone because I was too afraid people would think I was silly. What does it matter if they think I'm silly? I'm doing what I love- I'm doing it for myself. It doesn't matter if you're a great artist or a great writer. That's the awesome thing about zines- you don't have to prove yourself to anyone to get something published. Don't write for anyone else. And for goodness sakes, don't censor yourself.
6. Do you read any magazines? If so which?
I used to read Bitch & Ms. but not so much anymore. I'm pretty careful about what I spend money on. I do a lot of trading because I'm a broke.
7. What is the neatest thing that has happened to you from making zines?
Self confidence! I don't want to curl up and hide when someone reads something that I write anymore. And the pen pals I've found. I love all of my pen pals. There's no better feeling than getting a really great letter in the mail. I don't know. I love everything about zines- the stories, the people behind the stories, everything. I can't talk highly enough about the strong, confident women that I am fortunate enough to interact with.
8. Have you ever been interested in publishing something sold at mainstream chains?
Well, I guess it'd be neat to have a wider audience, but I really suck at trying to impress folks. I appreciate this medium because it's so egalitarian. I don't want to talk down to people or feed people advice. I want to tell my story and encourage other people to do the same. I don't think there's money in that and that's what mainstream chains are about, eh?
9. Favorite format to make zines, hand-written/ type-writer or/ computer-typed?
TYPEWRITER all the way. I can't work computer programs too well. And I have bad handwriting. Handwritten things that are done sloppily absolutely infuriate me. I type things up as I go, and collect them in a pile. I'll cut them up & glue them down (I go through SO MUCH glue.) I could probably print them off the computer cheaper than I could go to the copy shop--- but I just can't do the computer stuff!
10. Give some random advice to my readers about anything.
Time is always more important than money. Don't waste your life doing stuff you hate just because you think it's expected of you. Get copies of all the family recipes you love. Write thank you notes for gifts & don't let a day go by that you don't tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. Be kind-- it's far more important than people would have you think.
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Attack Panic!
This is a zine I did for this 2010 24 Hour Zine Thing. It's about anxiety and a boatload of coping skills are listed- the things I do when I'm having a rough time. It's pretty awesome.
[I have this zine, I wanted it because I haven't seen a zine about this topic, and I was having a hard time with my anxiety upon moving to NY so I was all about more information/tips]
YARNTEA! Life & Times of a Stressypants
Numero uno. I wrote this while on a mini-vacation in Atlanta. A bit of my background & bits and pieces about anxiety.
[I like this one, and will probably like all of her zines she makes, honestly. You can get right into what she is feeling, and I really appreciate when writers don't censor themselves. It really makes the writing more intriguing to me.]
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You can get the above two zines and the other issues she has of 'Yarntea' by emailing her @ crochetsrebellion@gmail or checking out her We Make Zines' page!
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Thanks to Liz for letting me interview you for 'On the Zine Scene', I am excited to read your next one[s]!
Check out other interviews here. And if you are interested in being interviewed for this feature please feel free to email me at jemnifur@gmail.com I love to support my fellow zinesters!
