Hey y’all! It’s been a minute (because life be life-ing, and the horrors persist, as usual) but SO much is happening over at my epic side quest that is Wild Ramp Publishing.

I feel like I have finally been able to guide Wild Ramp’s full transition from its previous life as The Learned Fangirl to my years-long dream of starting a micropress focused on fandom and more.

It’s an excellent time to do an actual update newsletter!

Upcoming Release: Act Your Age: Volume 2

The first edition of Act Your Age: Fandom at 35+ and Beyond came out earlier this year and is a celebration of fandom fun at a big age. Volume 2’s theme is “Dark” and it’s an exploration of the darker side of fandom, including dark, gothy fandoms, and darker topics like death and grief in fandom. The latter topic is, weirdly enough, a topic I really like talking about and keep coming back to, and it was validating to have my experience as well as many dear friends represented in this zine.

I’m really proud of this collaboration zine, and pre-orders will be available next week over at the Wild Ramp Publishing store.

Call for Submissions: Act Your Age: Volume 3

I’m already thinking about Act Your Age 3! I’m seeking contributions for the third volume of the zine series, the theme is Generations. The focus is on fans aged 35 and older who are active in intergenerational fan communities either as a fandom elder or as a younger generation of an ongoing fandom. (Think Star Trek or soaps.) I’m open to essays, art, poetry, and whatever you’ve got for me. The deadline for submissions is October 24, 2025. Email me at wildramppublishing@gmail.com if you have any questions, and watch for a full call for submissions soon.

Mini Zine: My Years of No

Another topic that I am continually thinking about lately is setting boundaries and saying no. I am making up for decades of being really bad at both, and suffering through cycles of burnout as a result. Recently, a couple of people told me that they admired my boundary-setting skills which is WILD for me as a still-recovering people pleaser.

I made a mini zine called “My Years of No” and I think I’ll explore it further because I am definitely only at the start of this journey. I would love to hear other people’s “no journeys” as well.

Spring 2025 Zine Microgrant Recipients!

This year, I launched and started a zine microgrant fund through Wild Ramp (y’all may remember that we did something similar through TLF during the start of the COVID pandemic)

This microgrant fund is focused specifically on disability justice zines. Each of the five recipient chosen will receive a $250 grant to support the production and distribution of their zines, which delve into themes of disability justice, personal narratives, and radical imagination. 

Many thanks to the application review committee for their guidance in making some hard choices between amazing applicants: Anoa Changa, Laura Fletcher, Michel Legendre, Mick Moran and Steph Fowler. I’ll be sharing more details about all of the applicants later, but here’s a short list:

1. Philly Breathes
   Philly Breathes Wildfire Zine

2. Jihan Thomas
   A Chronic Life: Racial Disparities Within the Healthcare System

3. rise
   Dream Storm: Mapping Our Collective Liberation Commitments

4. Cicada Lune
   Last Words

5. Christina Tran
   Recovery Days: Activate

There will be a Fall 2025 round of grants so watch out for the application process. Or consider donating to help support a new round of zinesters! (More on how you can do this  below!)

Support Wild Ramp on Patreon!

Wild Ramp Publishing has a Patreon to support more zine fabulousness! Patrons can enjoy perks such as early access to new zines and projects and exclusive snail mail treats. 

Next newsletter: See Keidra/Wild Ramp on the streets!

This past April, I tabled at my first in-person zine fest, the DePaul Spring Zine Fest.

As a recovering digital/social media girlie it was an adjustment to move primarily into meat space for connecting with my writing and creative work but let me tell you I LOVED IT! I had so much fun and was immediately obsessed with doing more. So you will see me in real life at a couple Midwest zine events this summer. Next newsletter I’ll give you more details.

That’s all for now. Whew. I know that was a lot. I’ll try to do this more often so it’s not quite as overloaded. Hang in there, everyone!

xoxo, Keidra