WRITERS 2006-2008
(bios written in 2006)
Laura V - EDITOR
'96-08
Laura started the zine when she was 14. Hope you dig it.
JASON WILLMANN - Artwork
'06-'08
Sex, drugs, rock and roll: Jason compensates for not getting any of this by drawing it. Continuing to hunt down that elusive combination of styles he's been unashamedly stealing to call his own, his influences range from Botero to Rockwell all the way to the Tibetan line work of Robert Beer. Preferring to do all his illustrations on a computer, he classes himself not as an artist but as a lazy perfectionist. When he isn't drawing he likes to gamble, get into car crashes and steal women from the US of A. He's also had over 100 stitches in his face and cannot be killed.
CAROLYN SAPACH - Contributing Writer
'06-'08
Carolyn Sapach is 25, and lives in the lower mainland with her man and her cat. One day, she will travel to warmer climates and manage to support herself through writing, be it creative (which would be great) or freelance copy writing and editing (which would still be great, but a little less so). Until then, she edits engineering reports and writes query letters to random magazines.Some of her favourite things include Family Guy, strong martinis, reading the same books over and over again, and daydreaming of how she will spend her lottery winnings.
RENEE MALLETT - Book Reviews
'06-'08
Renee Mallett attended Emerson College for creative writing. Her poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous magazines and literary journals. She writes a monthly art column for Skratch music magazine, and is a regular contributor to Stomp fashion magazine. Her work can also be found regularly at Fantastica Daily and the New York Times website About.com. As a freelance writer Renee has done everything from spend a night at the home where the Lizzie Borden murders took place to interviewing the stars of the Harry Potter movies. She travels extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad. Renee's first book, a look at haunted houses in Manchester New Hampshire, will be published in early 2007 by Schiffer Books. Renee and her family live in southern New Hampshire. Her website is www.reneemallett.com.
JODY WINDER - contributing writer/ sinner & saint
'06-'08
Jody Winder is a freelance writer who has lived in Vancouver for 3 years but is a T.O. girl through and through. She passes her time drinking wine, kicking people's asses (literally and figuretively) and watching trashy tv with her dawg. Jody holds a B.A. in Sociology from York University and has forever been interested in the way that people interact with each other and the world around them.A good friend once told her that good writing makes people not just think, but feel. Feel like hugging you, feel like crying or feel like punching you in the face" and she has lived by this motto every since.
LIAM FORD - album/live show reviews
'07-'08
Liam Ford is a graduate of SFU's English program.He's 25 and still lives with his parents in Coquitlam, BC.
JENNIFER PATTERSON - fashion
'07-'08
Jennifer Patterson was raised in Abbotsford, BC and currently resides in Vancouver. She received her Associate of Arts Degree in Media and Communications from the University College of the Fraser Valley. During this time she also spent a semester abroad, studying at Helia Polytechnic in Helsinki, Finland. Currently she is finishing up her studies in communications at SFU. She has spent time traveling throughout Eastern and Western Europe, and lists Sarajevo, Helsinki, and Berlin as her favourite cities to visit. When she's not busy with school and work, she's out exploring her Commercial Drive neighbourhood.
STEFF VALOR - artwork
'06-'08
Steff Beef Valor. She's 15 and lives in Quesnel/Kelowna. She's straight edge, Italian, a pretty sweet kid and a good friend. Her friends are like family, and they mean the world to her. She always wears her seatbelt and won't like something and/or someone just because everyone else does. She likes drawing, graphic/web design, Wendy's,concerts, music,Anime, video games, card games and cool shit like that. She adores musicnas like Throwdown, Comeback Kid, Bury Your Dead, Hatebreed, RJD2 , Jay-z, Milosh, The Gorgeous, Lostprophets, Patrick Wolf, The Warriors and basically any good music in general. She also loves Red vs Blue.
ALLAN STANLEIGH - film reviews
'06-'07
Allan Stanleigh has written for print media, theatre and film for over 25 years. As a producer, he has produced live theatre, staged screenwriter readings and animation demonstrations. As a business writer, he has written business plans, website text, business letters and brochures. His marketing experience includes co-ordinating media campaigns for musical and non-profit foundations.Allan's experience in film production ranges from production co-coordinator, first assistant director and associate producer and he has taught screen writing and film making to children. As a screenwriter, he is the principle writer of four feature length film scripts. Two have been optioned.As a member of the writing team, the Reel Write Bros., he has co-written four feature length films and one feature length animated film,The Adventures of Mowgli, which has been broadcast on Canada's YTV network and HBO. The team has worked for producers in writing original screenplays and polishing television and film scripts. Allan and the The Reel Write Bros. along with artist Andrew Stanleigh will be publishing a graphic novel based on their screenplay, U.S.N.A.: The United States of North America (http://www.usna.ca).
LISA POWELL - love & sex
'06-'07
Her tombstone would read "unstoppable energy, lacking in grace, loving every moment of life" ; Her obituary would be short and sweet and to the point, much like most of her opinions. Her owner's manual would instruct operators to respect her, and she'll perform her best. Lisa Powell truly to her core is one in a million. Her outlook on life shocks people and her sass intrigues others. She is a 25 year old cherry bomb who is adamant about working hard, living harder, and laughing even harder; often laughing at herself for her clumsiness! Her life goals include becoming a motivational speaker and a life coach. She has been known to be relentless in getting what she wants, and is very assertive. Lisa makes it a point of her friends accept themselves for who they are, and see that no matter the state of their lives, there is always something to be grateful for.
ANDREW WILMOT - videogames
'06-'07
Born in Calgary but a BC native for 20 years now, Andrew Wilmot has been a part of the contemporary arts scene for a number of years now. A recent grad from the School of Contemporary Arts program at SFU, Andrew has worked as a teacher, an exhibiting artist, and a freelance writer and editor for the past six years. While reviewing Video games for Kira's Eye, his other interests include, films, indie and otherwise, Russian lit, an insanely large cd and mp3 collection, and unhealthy obsessions with Ben Harper, Joss Whedon, Damien Hirst, and Dostoevsky. He completely and utterly lacks the ability to shut up once dragged into a conversation, and lives and breaths pure sarcasm and perverted humor. He currently works as a novelist, editor and freelance writer in White Rock, BC, hoping to make money off of at least one of those at some point before he dies.
CHARITY WEST - contributing writer
'06-'07
Charity West was born in Vancouver, BC but spent most of her growing years in Northern California. She began writing short stories at 12 years old and soon became interested in photography. As she grew, her love of the two arts transferred into film. She bought her first super 8 mm camera and started shooting her own short movies. Charity has completed 2 feature film screenplays, which she hopes to direct in the future.She has also completed a number of short film screenplays, short stories and a collective of spoken word poetry. Charity recently screened one of her shorts, Soul Song at the Granville 7 cinema to an audience of over 300 people. The young entrepreneur incorporated her film production in January 2005 with her partner Tomo, an up and coming Japanese director. She is currently working in the film industry as a script supervisor, editor and freelance photographer. Her company is currently producing a series of music videos for Bollywood, a creative endeavor she is very excited about. Charity lives in Kitsilano, where she enjoys being a cab ride away from the craziness of downtown Vancouver. In her future she sees herself in Tokyo or Paris working as a fashion photographer, director, entrepreneur or porn star if all else falls through.
RICKY RAILER - album/live show reviews
'06-'07
Ricky Railer is an Australian who just immigrated to Canada now residing in Vangroovie. He's been writing poetry and stories for fourteen years and has been performing for one. He's been a live music lover for sixteen beautiful years ever since his first live show when he saw the Angels at a nerdy something teen. Ricky likes to get his hands on his guitar and his feet strapped into his snowboard, (not at the same time) loves a bbq and digs chocolate. He's all about getting on the dance floor w/ a drink that'll be mostly spilled, soaking up the vibe and then getting it to you, the reader.
JOEL GOOK - sinner & saint/contributing writer/live show and album reviews
'06
Joel Gook is a lot younger than he looks. He spends the majority of his time thinking about what he's going to change his last name to (Griffin, perhaps?) and updating the old iPod. He's driven by a deep-rooted lust for music, good and bad, and simply can't imagine his world without it. Hailing from the Tournament Capital of Canada, Kamloops, he was reared by his mother's Rod Stewart albums, his father's Trooper collection, his brother's Deep Purple 8-tracks, and his sister's true love of all things. Always on the lookout for two turntables he can afford, Joel loves hyping his Japanese import of Sheer Heart Attack, downing gin and tonics, and dreaming of one day destroying the final pair of Uggs.
CAITLYN REID - love & sex
'06
Almost 24, Caitlin hails from Montreal, but she can still talk alright english h-okay. She made the move to Vancity almost four years ago to take UBC up on some scholarships, and graduated last year with an honours B.F.A. in creative writing. She's been published a bunch of times in Canada and the U.S., has won several wee awards for her poetry and non-fiction, and still plans on seeing her for-adults-only picture book, "Sexation", the literary sensation, in print. When not behind such noble causes, Caitlin can be found reading, pursuing theatrical endeavors, trying to get someone to bring her to a lake or the waterslides (the kind with inner-tubes), all while loving her two-year-old Vizsla, Io (so-named after Jupiter's innermost moon).
JEREMIAH FEDORUK - sinner & saint
'07
Somehow, Jeremiah got so cool he became an unbearable asshole everyone hated. He never really cares what others think. That might explain the yellow shoes. He's got a good heart, though. Really. He grew up out in the valley. He swindled someone out of a rather affordable apartment by the ocean in Vancouver. When not taking long walks on the beach, Jeremiah is often plotting. What could happen next is anybody's guess. He read about archaeology in college. He dug it. A master swordsman, Jeremiah is able to talk himself in to or out of just about anything. The truth is, most people just really like him. If you 're buying, he 'll have a gin martini. Dry. He hasn 't been in any movies, he just looks that way.
BONNIE LYNN - fashion
'06
Bonnie Lynn was born and raised a Toronto girl, and yes, despite many drunken bar fights she remains a Leafs fan! Bonnie went to school and learned many things, but has found that life has taught her the most important lessons. She moved to Vancouver about 3 years ago, and after some intense acclimatization she is now happily settled into the West End . Bonnie writes for several different publications and causes, and is enjoying the hard work and poverty of her new freelance status. Along with journalism and creative writing, she also freelances in photography and art. SO be sure not to add her to the invite list of your next party, as you never know what kind of photos will surface the next day!