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Jessica Hundley,
Mommy and I
Are One
Age: 27
Selection: "KISS Memories" (page
107)
Recent review (from Tail Spins): "This
very well could be my new favorite brain candy. Mommy contains
some impressive writing and is aesthetically pleasing inside
and out. It will make you happy."
Sample: $5 from 1845 N. Gramercy Place,
No. 305, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (checks: Mommy and I Are One)
When did you launch your zine? What inspired you to do so?
 Well, I was on a cross-country
trip, which is an act always conducive to life-changing epiphanies.
I had just graduated with a degree in creative writing and it
was becoming increasingly clear that my prospects were limited
to crappy retail or hellish waitressing jobs. I had been involved
in the early stages of another Boston magazine which had fallen
flat on its face from too many egos. So I was gazing out the
window, feeling pleased and dazed and hypnotized by the road,
when the thought, "Screw it. I'll just do it myself"
materialized out of nowhere. One of my companions on the trip
had a friend who had been trying to start a zine for years and
could never find anyone who would stick to it. Lots of talk,
no action. So when I returned (Fall 1993), I met this mysterious
stranger—we got stinking drunk and had a very deep philosophical
conversation concerning our literary aspirations. All our ideas
linked quite nicely and he seemed like an alright sort of guy.
So Andy Hunter and launched Mommy and I Are One—the first
issue went to the printer in the summer of 1994.
Why publish a zine?
After the traditional kick
in the face of numerous ice-cold rejection letters, I figured
I could either resign myself to failure or device a fool-proof
method of getting my work into print. With my own magazine, I'm
pretty much guaranteed glory. Of course, we also want to expose
people of energy and talent in the arts who have not crossed
the threshold to superstardom, but certainly deserve to.
What can you tell us about the selection you provided for
"The Book of Zines"?
 It's true! It's true! I swear
it really happened! Girls Scouts Honor! It was one of the most
perfect, beautifully orchestrated moments in life! God it was
gorgeous, you should have been there! I get all shaky and choked
up! And I love KISS! I have a sincere adoration and respect for
them that far surpasses any of that kitchy, tired amusement they
inspire in others! Hooray!
Any general tips for aspiring zinesters?
The best advice I can give
is find yourself a soulmate, someone who wants the same things
as you, who has ceaseless enthusiasm and loyalty to the cause.
Without Andy Hunter, I would never have been able to create this
magazine. (I feel like I'm signing his yearbook.) Also, do not
get discouraged. Every issue will move closer to finding a real
identity for itself. And cliché of clichés—do
not be afraid of what people think! Write sincerely and truthfully
about what you know and love. Not everyone will enjoy it, but
unique as you are, it's a guarantee that there are others with
the same desires and obsessions who will find your work to be
a light in a dark, cruel world. Let the critics stick it up their
bums.
What's your favorite part of doing a zine?
Partly the exposure I can
give to artists who deserve to be deified and who are getting
ignored by the mainstream press, and partly the validation it
gives to my otherwise pathetic existence.
In my other life, I'm a:
Big fat loser.
Fan
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