Critics often say that there are too many literary magazines in this country. And that is true. But there are not enough lit-zines. The lit-zine, with its myriad of visions and cheaper costs allows that the interplay between reader and writer might result in more than fading memories. Because you never know what you’ll find in a lit-zine, you’ll never know what to expect, and you’ll never become complacent and bored by the hierarchical content. So, even though Qwerty’s creators are immersed in higher education – MFA’s, BA’s and even PHD’s abound, the content holds promise. Mike Belyea’s From The Taj Mahal is a spare profile of the kind of anger that flourishes within domesticity, spreading its roots until the family is entangled. Thomas Hodd delivers a poem with a poignant punch-line that establishes the familial theme of this first issue (and why not, young writers seem to write best about their families), r. Lance Ceaser’s fiction rambles – not surprising, considering his name — but succeeds in fomenting a nostalgia that isn’t just memorabilia assigned personal pronouns. Women – send in your work. The all male collective is a bit heavy on the testosterone. Too many guys, and way too many of those Mac generated boxed gray screens. Is there a connection? “Wake up,” writes Don McKay in the intro to this new lit zine. “This is going to be on the exam.” But in fact, Qwerty is more than another regurgitated free lunch smelling of nepotism and university lit-mag collectives – it’s the zine of the month.
lit-zine #1, Spring, 46 pages publisher: IceHouse Press main creators: The Collective $5 per, $12 for three (payable to IceHouse) c/o UNB English Dept., PO Box 4400, Fredericton, NB E3B 4A3 email: [email protected]