Death to Realism! 030
Death to Realism! 030
Hello again! This newsletter is now PWYW and you can change your subscription using the links at the bottom (especially if you were having an issue with this before, it should be sorted out now.) If you need a refresher on the origin & nature of these bi-weekly updates, check out the first issue before reading on.
What's New?
Glasgow Zine Fair is this weekend, and Plaintext will be tabling with new stock on Sunday, July 3rd! I am super excited to get the new stuff out there, and am pulling together the last few touches for the table. You can check out the distro website to see the new zines on offer and the GZF website for more information on times, getting to the venue, and other events and workshops going on alongside the fair.
I also have a new essay in The Serving Library Annual 2022-23! It's an expansion of my Lost Histories Jam entry on Mazes, and fitting their current theme, "Meander." The pdf can be downloaded online for free, or you can order the very big, very luxe physical compilation of all of the essays here.
Coming Soon
In July I'll be polishing up my CV and looking for full time work again, so any leads on remote-friendly jobs managing the behind the scenes nuts and bolts of publishing, metadata, online events or arts orgs would be helpful, and are all the sorts of things I've done in the past.
I also finally got my hands on a filing cabinet for the Zine Library, and filed my collection (previously just sitting in bags and boxes) into vaguely themed folders. Something to fill time may be to also begin going through each folder and developing more in-depth catalog entries, and making this available publicly somehow.
The Rec Room
Soft Valkyrie is finally out in full, and is basically amazing. I feel like I have to write something about it, despite not really being an opera or even music nerd, but I don't know what yet.
And if you're not ready to strap in for a full 4 hours of opera, Fotocopiadora also has a new album out!
My partner's latest game, Ears of the Killer, is out now as well, and I got to do a little testing of it beforehand...
Finally, since I last wrote this newsletter I have watched the film Mechanical Violator Hakaider not just once but twice. Aside from being a great Terminator 2-esque Tokusatsu anti-hero type film, there's some extremely creative environmental and effects design, and the climactic battle is truly remarkable due to it.
I've Been Reading
In terms of books I am now working my way through The Dream of Doctor Bantam by Jeanne Thornton, which was an unexpected comp of sorts one of the first readers of my novel came up with (thank you!)... so far I feel like it's a flattering comparison because I am really enjoying its rich weirdness. Around the internet, I enjoyed this interview with Marina Warner, whose book on Joan of Arc is a personal favorite. This interconnected series of essays also provides a really clear and instructive view on how finance is entangled with art institutions on a deeper level than just "bad donors." I've long wanted to write something playing with the grift/gift economy pun, but I suppose I'll have to hold off until I have more to say than what's already here!
I think that's all I have this bi-week! For new subscribers who have signed on since the last newsletter, you can check out the archive of past issues at any time!
Thank you again for your support,
Emilie