A Book Is Born

Joy to the world!

My kid 'zine is at the printer... 

It's also in my Etsy shop... (click on the Etsy Badge in the upper right-hand corner to see it)

What is a 'zine? A zine (zeen - short for magazine or fanzine) is a small-circulation self-published work of original or appropriated texts and images, usually reproduced via a copy machine. Zines are the product of either a single person or of a very small group, and are popularly photocopied into physical prints for circulation. A fanzine (blend of fan and magazine) is a non-professional and non-official publication produced by enthusiasts of a particular cultural phenomenon (such as a literary or musical genre) for the pleasure of others who share their interest. The term was coined in an October 1940 science fiction fanzine by Russ Chauvenet and popularized within science fiction fandom, entering the Oxford English Dictionary in 1949. (source: Wikipedia)

I owe a giant debt of gratitude to my good friend and gifted publisher/editor/technology wizard/wordsmith/poet Jen Payne, owner of Words By Jen and Three Chairs Publishing, for helping me through the editing and production process that made this long-awaited day possible.

Getting encouragement and positive feedback from trusted friends has been a positive and rewarding experience for me. We'll see how far that will take little Miss Nancy-Dragon in the self-publishing domain, but regardless of how popular this little 'zine becomes, it is still a dream come true for me and my deceased fur-person.

One of my biggest concerns during this long process was that 12 years of editing and tweaking my story might somehow diminish the original intent of remembering and memorializing my cat in a fun, fanciful and poignant way. 

In the beginning, it was simply a drawing and a sentence in my art journal after Nancy died. Then it evolved into a lengthy rhyming story. I submitted it in a children's book contest but it didn't make the cut. I kept trimming it and making sure the meter was consistent. I knew I wanted to publish it, but hiring a copy editor, finding an illustrator and being accepted by a publishing house was completely daunting. 

Then my friend suggested putting it out as a 'zine, and when I said "Yes!" I felt immediate relief and joy. So now it is done and even if it's just my friends buying and sharing it with the little ones in their lives, I will be forever grateful. Very few of them actually read or know about this blog, but that's okay... I write it for myself anyway.

So - a big shout-out and a sincere thank-you to the Universe for enabling me to do this... for my Nancy, for my Mom (I wish they were both still here!) and for My Self. 

I can't wait to create my next 'zine!