SF Zine Fest!

About ten years ago, I was hobbling towards the greyhound bus terminal in Gainesville, FL lugging everything I thought I might need for a year (read: acoustic guitar and chess set and not enough clean socks).  My patient and recent acquaintance told me about a guy who bragged he could pack everything he needed in a bag weighing 2 pounds.  Maybe  it was 11 pounds.  My new friend told me that what he aspired to as he strode easily down the street as I lumbered behind him with a large pack, a bag of food and no dignity.   Fittingly, he is now traveling the world by bicycle and my I hauling boxes of sellable wares on a very wobbly dolly through the streets of San Francisco to the SF Zine Fest.

pre-show planning

Highlights: sharing a table with the ever-inspiring Beck Levy of Astropress.  Recently relocated from DC to Oakland, she brings the hating, the witchcraft and the audible voice.  Also, she is relentless in the print shop and knows to bring chocolate covered espresso beans.

treats! includind a parking ticket!

Also, I finally met Jennie Hinchcliff of Red Letter Day, the SF Correspodence Co-op and a hundred good things.  And she helped organize the zine fair, so though she tabled next to us, we didn't get to talk too much. It was good to fianlly meet her and her mail art love energy.  We also made friends with Brian Herrick, who traded with us for copies of his comic, Ebb and Flood,  and checked out Tiny Splendor (always a lovely treat).   I also treated myself to a tiny comic drawm by Lindsay Watson called Spirits.  Her drawings are so sweet and delicate monsters.  Check her stuff out!

After two days and two amazing meals in the city, we hauled the badly packed boxes back to the car, drove acroos the Golden Gate Bridge .  It is the long way around becuase of the Bay Bridge being closed, but at least we saw this sunset.

not the end

That's not even the end of the story! Astropress and Gutwrench Press are co-conspirators, not just tabling events around the Bay, but workign together under the name Manic Impression Collective.  More about that later, but come visit us at SFCB Roadworks Sept 29th (where they make relief prints with a steamroller!), at the East Bay Anarchist BookFair October 26th, and I will be repensenting us both October 19th and 20th at the New Orleans Anarchist Book Fair. See you there!