Midnight Driving
$2/48 pages/Half size
by Jen

Jen fills this text heavy zine with her experience going to grad school in Minnesota where she was majoring in Women's Studies. She describes her reasons for leaving and how she dealt with her mental health issues afterwards. Jen dives into some of her therapy sessions where she shares stories of being sexually abused when she was younger. I am proud of the way Jen writes about her struggles but right alongside of writing about her troubles; she writes about the positive things she is doing to work on herself, to better herself and that is admirable.  

An excerpt, " I wish I wasn't so replaceable, that people would actually miss me once I was gone. I didn't think this way when I was 16 and I overdosed on sleeping pills attempting to end my life."

 Mrs. Noggle 2
the old letters issue
$2.50/40 pages/Half size
by Jolie 

This text heavy issue of Mrs. Noggle seems to have been an extremely healthy way for Jolie to release built up feelings & emotions as well as a way for her to look back on her past and see the positive changes she has made over the years when being in a relationship. Jolie was able to convey the way she felt about herself and the vicious cycle she found herself in with other people.

Jolie writes, "this zine contains actual unedited/uncensored letters to boys that abandoned me & broke my heart over the years. these are the desperate ramblings of a pathetic lonely girl trying to pick up the pieces of shattered relationships that she broke with her bare hands in attempts to paste together scraps to construct her other half.”


 

Mrs. Noggle 3
the nonfiction issue
$2/28 pages/Half size
by Jolie

This issue of Mrs. Noggle is a compilation project of non fiction work that Jolie has written over different periods in her life. Most of the writing in this zine was written for zines that never came to be. She covers things such as trying to empower herself, making life changes, friendships, happiness, and her relationship with her father.

Jolie writes, "i think the past still affects me. & it is good for me to look back & reflect & see how far I have come. i was stuck in a rut for such a long time & i never thought i'd get out."

Mrs. Noggle 4
"the writing prompts & writing exercises" issue
$2/28 pages/Half size
by Jolie

This issue is exactly what the sub-title describes it to be: "the writing prompts & writing exercises' issue. Jolie has taken eight various writing exercise topics such as 'write about one of your most memorable moves', 'what is your earliest memory? why has it stayed with you?', write about an unhappy new year's eve', etc and shared her in depth answers within the pages of this issue. 

I think it was a great idea to combine all of these writing prompts into this issue of Mrs. Noggle. The combination resulted in a great read of multiple subject matters. You'll also find an excerpt about the passing of her cat, Sid and the zine ends with a fiction short story.

Nightly Zine 1:
The House Warming Issue
$3.50/24 pages/Half size
by Rupa

I was instantly excited to see what was hidden behind the bold orange covers that Rupa chose for the zine. The beauty of this zine goes well beyond the covers. I found myself laughing and appreciating the lists and essays. Rupa mastered humor and creative writing in the house warming issue.

Rupa writes, "The first issue, 'The House Warming Issue' is printed in black and white, handmade and finished in leather and ribbon. Appealing to anyone who has lived in a house or an apartment, or knows someone who has. Finding an audience of social miss-fits, drunk house-wives, and karaoke addicts, the zine offers potentially impractical how-to-advice, as well as art, general scribblings and observations from dark and personal places."

Non/Monogamy:
Doin' it and Doin' it and Doin' it well?
SOLD OUT!!
$3/60 pages/Half size
by Andie & Shannon

Andie and Shannon have created a text heavy zine that contains a wealth of information on personal experiences with non-monogamy and how they emotionally felt in these relationships. I found the writing to be intriguing as they both shared their personal encounters.

An excerpt, "But while I was doing this out of a fear of dependency, I have learned that there are other great things about non-monogamy. There is freedom. There is accountability-being held to it and holding others to it. There is agency. There is space. When things go wrong, I can't blame them on love. I have to be honest about what I did, what I feel, and where I'm at." It is fantastic that Andie & Shannon were able to work together and write their feelings about non-monogamy in a zine that is a comfortable and safe space for them. There also two pieces pertaining to this topic by other contributing authors as well.

Not Sorry 1 & 2
$2/30 pages/Half size
by Jenny  

Not Sorry is such a smart and inspirational zine. This compilation zine contains parts of issue 1 that was printed in 2002 and parts of issue 2 that was printed in 2003. Jenny writes a follow-up after a few of the pieces on how she currently feel about the subject matter. She focuses quite a bit on size and acceptance which I find to be excellent. Jenny also writes about personal revolution, the movie Shallow Hal, Kathleen Hanna, her experience working in a porn shop, the suicide girls and ends the zine with a call for action.

Not Sorry 5
i'll tell you mine of you tell me yr's
ONLY 1 LEFT!!
$2/76 pages/Quarter size
by Jenny  

I thoroughly adore each issue of Not Sorry that Jenny creates because as I read her intense thoughts; I find myself relating to a great deal of the subject matter and that is extremely comforting for me. She discusses some brief family background, shares her thoughts on fatphobic culture, and she writes about her continued experience with her eating disorder. This issue is text heavy and you will find Jenny's "Big Fat Thoughts" that cover a variety of issues such as starting a DIY eating disorder support group. I really found the 14 tips that challenge your internalized fatpobia to be very insightful!   An excerpt, "I had a lot of body stuff I needed to get out and I'm afraid of some of the things I've written. I'm also proud of them. It's confusing and ugly and honest and I know that if you don't go through these things, you probably won't get it and that's what's scary to me."

Nothing Rhymes
(number four)
$1/22 pages/Quarter size
by Chelsea

This is a lovely zine that keeps you feeling upbeat. Chelsea writes about her love for life and the things she takes notice of daily that keep her in this positive mindset. She reevaluates what being a girl means to her, she includes a diy book binding tutorial for beginners along with a descriptive list of zines that she has been enjoying.

I love the excerpt," i dare you to make a list of everything you like on any given day. and i dare you tomake a list of things you don't like and then see how you can make them better, or how you can work around them. and i double dare you to make a list of things that you're afraid to do and do one a week, or one a month, or one as often as you can stand it, because it's such a big deal to do what you're doing."

Potentially Heartwrenching Distractions ...
And Other Wonderful Possibilities.
$2/26 pages/Half size
by Bucket D. Siler

Bucket wrote a zine that will just tug on your heart strings … inside are stories of Bucket’s travels, adventures and various experiences with certain people along the way. I adored the letters to people and to the cities that are included along with the stories.

An excerpt, “I thought I wanted another adventure. When I found out that what I really needed was a home, I drove and packed and partially unpacked and drove again trying to find it. I had breakdowns in Tennessee, anxiety attacks in San Francisco. I was a portable disaster. Until I remembered that home was right where I had left it to begin with.”