Broken Pencil news

Broken Pencil Newsletter - January 2009
Broken Pencil Magazine Announces the Commencement of the
2nd Annual Indie Writers Deathmatch Short Story Contest

NOW LIVE ONLINE:
www.brokenpencil.com/deathmatch
The trash talk, the vitriol, the voting, the viral videos and...oh yeah...the stories!

It's all happening right now as Broken Pencil sets 8 stories against each other, a literary cage match from which only one author will emerge, the bruised battered champion of indie lit!

Last year's Deathmatch drew hundreds of thousands of hits to our Online Arena. Fans from all across the planet voted for their favourite story in the culture's bloodiest fiction contest. This year's battle should prove to be just as violent!

"This is definitely not a contest for sensitive writer types. If you can't handle the thought of your short story being smacked down by online voters, then you'll want to stay well clear of this one. Think Literary Survivor. On an island. Surrounded by a sea of sharks." - Jennifer Moss, The Vancouver Sun, Dec 28, 2008

The Line Up:
Round 1, January 26: "Girlfriend" by Sherwin Tjia vs "There are Two 'i''s is Wii" by Natalie Pendergast
Tija's crossdressing adolescent angst vs. Pendergast's boy-boy incest video game soap opera

Round 2, February 2: "Night Work" by McKinley M. Hellenes vs "All Tarted Up" by Kirsten McKenzie
Hellenes gives us West Coast trailer trash. McKenzine counters with small town Scottish slags.

Round 3, February 9: "Imagine Us With Belly Button Rings" by Kathleen Phillips vs "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by Jessica Grosman
Phillips goes deep into the sad lives of adolescent girls and Grosman's sad adolescent girl stalks the subway in search of a new mom.

Round 4, February 16: "The Invisible Man Takes a Shit" by Jeffrey Gandell vs "Isn't He Fantastic" by Chris Illuminati
Gandell's invisible man has a stomach ache but Illuminati's Mr. Fantastic has bigger, super hero size problems.

Complete bios of authors as well as more information about their stories available upon request.

Also: Follow the battle blow by blog on twitter: http://twitter.com/brokenpencilmag

Contacting Us
Founded in 1995 and based in Toronto, Canada, Broken Pencil is a website and a print magazine published three times a year. It is one of the few magazines in the world devoted exclusively to underground culture and the independent arts. We are a great resource and a lively read! A cross between the Utne Reader, an underground Reader's Digest, and the now defunct Factsheet5, Broken Pencil reviews the best zines, books, websites, videos, and artworks from the underground and reprints the best articles from the alternative press. Also, ground breaking interviews, original fiction, and commentary on all aspects of the independent arts. From the hilarious to the perverse, Broken Pencil challenges conformity and demands attention.

Hey, want to say something about our magazine, let us know about an upcoming event, send in a zine or website or CD for review or maybe do a piece for the mag? Don't be shy! We want to hear from you. Send us an email at editor@brokenpencil.com, or a letter at PO Box 203, Station P, Toronto, On, M5S 2S7 Canada, or call us at 416-204-1700.