Find out about the continuing adventures of Martha by subscribing to her long-running zine, Somnambulist.
1. How did the zine become a book? What changed or was left out?
The zine became a book because Michael Heald, my publisher, found one of my Somnambulist zines in the public library here in Portland. (Portland Librarians rock and have always been very supportive of the zine community.) He got in contact with me and we talked about doing a book. The process was as follows: I gave him a bunch of stuff to look at and then together we whittled it down to a book-sized manuscript. Almost everything in the book was from an issue of Somnambulist Zine I had published over the last decade. A couple pieces were from my blog and then a couple had never been published anywhere.
2. How does your family feel about your zine and book? Have they read them?
I have a large family and can’t speak for everyone, but in general they have been very supportive.
3. How is your health now?
My health is much better now.I had my adrenals out and am now on maintenance hormones. I could bore you with a bunch of medical jargon, but instead I’ll just say that I have moved from the acute stage to the chronic stage: I am slowly learning how to live with my post-Cushing’s body. It’s a process.
4. You said you had four jobs right now. Are you working on more zines, more books, also?
I am still totally putting out my zine. Anyone can subscribe if they send me fifteen dollars and their address! I am also re-thinking the idea of writing a full-length memoir about my experience with Cushing’s. This was my thesis for my MFA and I had plans to finish it this year. The problem though – with writing a long book about your life- is that the story never seems to end! I was also thinking about writing a book about Frank and Peaches and their love affair. This has also presented its own special challenges. So for now, to answer your question, I am putting both of those ideas on the back burner, letting them percolate, and continuing to write shorter nonfiction pieces about almost anything that interests me!
