In her own (three) words

Massive thanks to Ellen Falconer for interviewing Indira Neville and me about Three Words for The Wireless: In her own (three) words.

You can read all about Three Words and see photographs of the Auckland launch here.

Trees, words

Much gratitude to Nik Perring, author of Beautiful Trees (Roast Books), for inviting me on to his blog to talk about Three Words, which Nik had this to say about:

"It’s because the whole thing just drips with goodness – it’s the sort of thing that anyone and everyone should be excited about. It’s an excited thing". 

You can read the whole post here.

Threes fame

 

Click on cover to pre-order

You can now pre-order your copy of Three Words: An Anthology of Aotearoa / NZ Women's Comics at a special pre-order price of $45! Estimated delivery date: 3rd of March, 2016.

"A brilliant, collaborative, manifold project, 'Three Words' features all kinds of comics from all kinds of Kiwi women, a vast and varied representation of the beautiful diversity that makes up women's comics in New Zealand – a completely unprecedented collection." Beatnik

With comics by Adele Jackson, Alex McCrone, Alex Wild, Alice Tumblescribbleson, Alie Macpherson, Andra Jenkin, Bek Coogan, Anna Crichton, Beth Duckingmonster, Beth Sometimes, Carolyn Anderson, Celia Allison, Claire Harris, Dawn Tuffery, Demarnia Lloyd, Diane Rimmer, Elsie Joliffe, Emma Blackett, Erin Fae, Debra Boyask, Giselle Clarkson, Indira Neville, The Rabbid, Jem Yoshioka, Jessica Dew, Jessica Hansell, Joanna Anderson, Judy Darragh, Kayla Oliver, Kerry Ann Lee, Lauren Marriott, Margaret Silverwood, Olga Krause, Linda Lew, Lisa Noble, Liz Mathews, Loux McLellen, Lucy Meyle, Maiangi Waitai, Marina Williams, Mary Tamblyn, Mengzhu Fu, Mirranda Burton, Miriam Harris, Pritika Lal, Rachel Benefield, Rachel Shearer, Rae Joyce, Raewyn Alexander, Rebecca Hawkes, Renee Jones, Rosemary McLeod, Warsaw, Sally Bollinger, Sarah Laing, Sarah Lund, Sharon Murdoch, Sophie McMillan, Sophie Oiseau, Stella Corkery, Susan Rugg, Susan Te Kahurangi King, Suzanne Claessen and Zoe Colling.

And essays by Robyn Keneally, Ruth Boyask, Jem Yoshioka, Miriam Sapphira and Rae Joyce.

 

Please pre-order Three Words and support us making history!

Et al knowing

There's currently a really interesting and important display on level 2 of Auckland Central City Library, giving a detailed and engaging summary of Aotearoa/New Zealand's contraception history and abortion debate.

It's a subject area I covered in my Dundee International Book Prize finalist novel Some Things the English, so I was very interested to read about the developments, and lack of them, in the law and archives.

I was pleased to see the reproduction of some of the Broadsheet magazine illustrations, having only become aware of this amazing and influential publication during my co-editorship on the Three Words Aotearoa/NZ women's comics and cartoons anthology (to be published by Beatnik very soon).

There's also an accompanying blog - the most comprehensive and readable research resource I've seen on this topic - at Auckland Libraries' Heritage & Research site "Heritage et AL".

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Stuff news

Stuff News wrote a great article about Three Words: the anthology of Aotearoa New Zealand women's comics and cartoons I'm co-editing along with Indira Neville and Sarah Laing.

Hamilton's paradise lost

 Saturday was a sunny day for Hamilton Zinefest 2015.

 Brent Willis was among the first to get his stall set up. The early bird catches the worm, as they say.

 Tim Danko and Three Words co-editor Indira Neville were fine company and at 12.30, we channelled the spirit of Sarah Laing as we talked about Three Words.

 There was live comic drawing in the afternoon.

 And table holders were often absent from their seats, mingling and chatting to other comic folk.

 The crowds ebbed and flowed as the day progressed.

 And more comic drawing and reading.

 Four o'clock was "Swap o'clock", when zine-makers exchanged their remaining fare for their neighbours'.

 Then it was time to go home (after "Fearless" played out on vinyl), via a little detour: Hamilton Gardens, with Taylor Swift fanziner Erin Fae.

All in all, a lovely way to lose a Saturday.

Wellington books

I'm delighted to be taking part in Wellington City Libraries Comicfest 2015 along with Indira Neville and Sarah Laing, to discuss Three Words; an anthology of Aotearoa Women's Comics and Cartoons we are co-editing.

We'll be taking part in a panel discussion, from 1-2pm on Saturday 2 May, to talk about women's comics and the genesis of the Three Words book, moderated by Pikitia Press' Matt Emery.

Great fuel

The New Zealand Book Council have included my recommendations for NZ's next Great Kiwi Classic on their Booknotes Unbound site.

And my list gets another favourable mention on Wellington City Libraries' News Blog.

I hope there's something in this little lot to fire up your interest in graphic fiction!

Great full year

 

My thanks to Pikitia Press, who kindly asked me to review my great year in and out of comics. I'm very grateful they went to the trouble of sourcing complimentary pages from my comics to illustrate the post.

Awe some

I've started to post mini-profiles of some of NZ's women comics creators, artists and cartoonists on the Three Words blog - Judy Darragh, Giselle Clarkson and Olga Krause so far - just tasters of their work to give a flavour of the anthology I'm working on - and I am having the best time finding out about these inspiring and frankly bloody awesome women!

Ire on he

Two men talking about three women, asking why the New Zealand comics scene is a "boys' club" for "competent boy comics"*, why only 13% of the comics creators featured in From Earth's End; the Best of New Zealand Comics are women, and why NZ's women cartoonists are angry; on NZ National Radio, Adrian Kinnaird in discussion with Bryan Crump about Three Words, the anthology of women's cartoons and comics I'm editing with Sarah Laing and Indira Neville.





*A term coined by Indira Neville.

Three words

I'm co-editing an anthology of New Zealand women's cartoons and comic art, Three Words, along with NZ comics scene stalwart Indira Neville and novelist and cartoonist Sarah Laing. 

We’re open to submissions now. If you identify as a woman and make comics or cartoons in NZ, Three Words wants you!

Interested parties can find the submissions guidelines and read all about the anthology and the editors at the Three Words blog. I’ll be posting art and links to some of New Zealand’s amazing women comics creators in the coming weeks – if you’d like to be profiled or know of anyone you think should be, tweet us @threeword3, or join the Facebook group here, or simply tag along for the ride - we'd love to have your support!