New GEMINI

Ooof. I have finally produced Issue 11 of my zine, GEMINI. For some reason, this issue just did not write itself as the first ten did (OK, maybe they didn't write themselves, but they did come together a bit more smoothly than this one has). I was just totally blocked on the writing front all spring (I think, looking back, that I was probably a bit depressed—which was no doubt evident to everyone who reads this blog, except me), then this summer I was working on material for the course I took, and then I just felt so busy, busy, busy all fall. Finally (when I started contemplating a full-time job) it occurred to me that, no, no one was going to hand me a large chunk of time to devote to writing—I had to make time. And that time, it turns out, was there all along. It's called 5 a.m. (or, more often, 5:18 a.m.). I never, ever, thought I'd become a morning person, but it's now my most favorite time of the day—and I am soooo much more personable once 6:30 rolls around and I have to start dragging kids out of bed than if I am just then dragging myself out of bed too!

Anyway, back to the zine, I picked them up from the printer last week, finally got some stamps yesterday, and, if all goes well and I make my way to Staples to pick up some mailing labels soon, they should be in the mail by the end of the week (which is, technically, still fall, so I'm not lying when I call it the fall issue). If you have a subscription or we trade, expect yours in time for post-holiday relaxing! If not, I'd like to offer blog readers a free copy of this issue. Just leave a comment on this post before Wednesday December 23 and email your mailing address to andreaelani (at) yahoo (dot) com. No I'm not a stalker and I will not give away your address or use it for any non-zine-related purpose.

In this issue (GEMINI #11: Along the Tangled Path):

In the Hot Springs Pool
The Fifth Circle of Hell: Halloween 2007
The Witching Hour
A Day at the Fair
How it Came to Be that I Was Thrice Saved by the Hausfrau

Plus poetry, cartoons, and lots of amusing kid quotes.

This is the stage at which I begin to doubt myself, think that this is the worst crap I've ever written, fear everyone who reads it will hate me and consider chucking the whole lot in the nearest dumpster (the only thing that stops me is all the money I just spent on printing—and my recycling ethic). But I send them out anyway, and then later—a few weeks or months or years (yes, folks I have been creating this thing for nearly FIVE YEARS now!!) later I'll pick up the back issue and read it, laugh a little, generally enjoy myself (except for the typos!!) and think, “Hmm, not bad.”

So don't worry...it's probably not bad, and who doesn't love to get mail?