Rough Draft with Keidra and Liz Podcast

This week we talk with East Bay, CA-based artist Maira McDermott, who in 2017 founded both the Long Arm Stapler Podcast and the Bay Area Queer Zine Fest. Maira's work focuses primarily on mental health, gender/queerness, and how those lenses color their world, especially their favorite topics: karaoke and King of the Hill.
We talk about zines verses diaries, the push and pull of extroverted-introversion necessary for communal art, hosting podcasts as a way to get advice, time management strategies that involve reliance on cheap light-roast coffee...and how "Video Killed the Radio Star" as a karaoke choice is harder than you think it is.
Upcoming events and Links for Maira:Bay Area Queer Zine Fest 9/27 http://bayareaqueerzinefest.comBehind the Zines https://www.ilovezines.com/search?q=Behind+the+Zines&options%5Bprefix%5D=lastWant to talk about your zines on Maira's podcast? Fill out the form at: tinyurl.com/letschatlashttp://instagram.com/maiiira.pnghttp://longarmstapler.neocities.orghttp://ko-fi.com/LNGRMSTPLRhttp://linktr.ee/LNGRMSTPLR
Upcoming events and Links for Keidra:Wild Ramp Review of Books https://wildramppublishing.bigcartel.com/product/wild-ramp-review-of-booksCalls for submissions: Chicago Civic Mini-Zine Microgrants: https://tinyurl.com/chiciviczine & Act Your Age #4 Toxic Fandom https://tinyurl.com/ActYrAge4@keidrachaney + @wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com + keidradchaney.net
Upcoming events and Links for Liz:Zine Workshop at the U of Chicago's Library Community Day 8/29 https://lizmasonisawesome.com/upcoming-appearances/2026/8/29/zine-workshop-at-the-university-of-chicagoWell Now We're Both Awake with Liz Mason radio show on CHIRP radio 107.1fm Chicago, Wednesdays 6-9am CT, chirpradio.org or the CHIRP Radio app https://chirpradio.org/@caboosezine + @sugarhijinx + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine
 
What's on draft? Got somethin' you wanna tell us? E-mail us at roughdraftchicagopodcast@gmail.com 
 

In this episode of Rough Draft, we discuss 2 mirror image books of fiction about the interior life of young women navigating fandom, idol worship and parasocial relationships.
Superfan: A Novel by Jenny Tinghui Zhang and Idol, Burning: A Novel by Rin Usami address how performers aren’t the only ones who must navigate balancing outer persona with their authentic self.
Idol, Burning focuses on high school student Akari in Japan. She has a huge following on the internet where she blogs about the J-Pop group Maza Maza, but she can't seem to complete school assignments or hold down a job.
Superfan focuses on college student Minnie in Austin, Texas. Her obsession with the band HOURglass helps her cope with the trials of relationships. But can she find her way with making genuine connections?
Among other things, we talk about how expression of fandom can lead to higher level thinking, characters taking power back that they once gave away, the appearance of zine culture in Superfan, and Keidra's secret parasocial relationship with rabbits on the internet.
 
Hey, thanks for listening! We’ve now had over 1000 downloads! Thanks for supporting us!
 
Links!
Parts of this conversation were featured in Wild Ramp Review of Books (Summer 2026 issue)
https://wildramppublishing.bigcartel.com/product/wild-ramp-review-of-books
Superfan: A Novel by Jenny Tinghui Zhang
https://bookshop.org/p/books/superfan-a-novel-jenny-tinghui-zhang/ec6c61eba883c0b2?ean=9781250369666&bkshp-astro=t
Idol, Burning: A Novel by Rin Usami, Translated by Asa Yoneda
https://bookshop.org/p/books/idol-burning-a-novel-rin-usami/9f461ba958c4849c?ean=9780063213296&bkshp-astro=t
Keidra's "The Empowered Stan" article on Fainsplaining:
https://fansplaining.com/the-empowered-stan/
 
Links for Keidra:
@keidrachaney + @wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com + keidradchaney.net
 
Links for Liz:
@caboosezine + @sugarhijinx + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine

July was International Zine Month. Halfway through we checked in to see how we were both celebrating it! And also, a meditation on scheduled project-making.
 
Links mentioned:
International Zine Month: stolensharpierevolution.org/international-zine-month
Alex Wrekk's stuff: stolensharpierevolution.org + Portland Button Works & Spiral House Shop portlandbuttonworks.com
ZineMap zinemap.com
Quimby's Bookstore Quimbys.com
Zine Pavilion instagram.com/zinepavilion
ilovezines.com
Chicago Civic Mini-Zine Microgrants: https://tinyurl.com/chiciviczine
Wildramp Publishing stuff Keidra was talking about at wildramppublishing.bigcartel.com:
Indoor Thoughts + Wild Ramp Review of Books 
 
South Side Zine Fest & Carnival 8/15 Both Keidra and Liz at that!
 
Links and events for Keidra:
@keidrachaney + @wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com + keidradchaney.net
 
Links and events for Liz: 
@caboosezine + @sugarhijinx + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine
 
 

This week we talk with Chicago-based comics artist, illustrator, and author Sarah Becan. Her new book Let's Make Cocktails is the fourth book in the comic book cookbook Let's Make series that included Let's Make Bread, Let's Make Dumplings and Let's Make Ramen, and it's also her first solo book!
 
 
In our "spirited" conversation about Let's Make Cocktails (OK, we couldn't resist), Sarah shares with us wisdom about disentangling the brainworms of imposter syndrome, thoughts about jumping into freelance food illustration, her philosophies on translating recipes into drawings, the things that make a graphic novel recipe book different than other cookbooks and so much more!
Here's the brainworms print Sarah told us about, and here it is in all it's amazing glory:
&
Liz's replacement-ingredient Arnold Palmer during the recording:
 
Links and events for Sarah:
Kenosha Book Fest 6/21 & ALA Artists Alley 6/25-6/29
sarahbecan.com
instagram.com/sarahbecan
bsky.app/profile/sarahbecan.bsky.social
Buttondown newsletter
 
Links and events for Keidra:
ALA Zine Pavilion 6/28 + South Side Zine Fest & Carnival 8/15
@keidrachaney + @wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com + keidradchaney.net
 
Links and events for Liz:
ALA Zine Pavilion 6/26-6/227 + MWPZF Pre-Fest Reading at Quimby's Bookstore 7/10 + Midwest Perzine Fest 7/11 + Flowstate Fair 7/24 + Ridman's Coffee with Sugar Hijinx & Zine Club Chicago 7/26 + South Side Zine Fest & Carnival 8/15
@caboosezine + @sugarhijinx + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine
 
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Got somethin' you wanna tell us about Rough Draft? What's your favorite cocktail? E-mail us at roughdraftchicagopodcast@gmail.com 
 

Does a project going "off the rails" mean you have an unwieldy ball of cud you keep adding to or does it actually mean an off-road side quest that makes the project get bigger and better than you ever imagined? We know we probably say this about every episode, but this is one of our best.
Stuff mentioned:
Act Your Age zines
Caboose #7 BS 101
Caboose #14 My Canadian Boyfriend
soleheiress.bandcamp.com/album/1990s
https://soundcloud.com/keidra
Reflective and Therapeutic Writing Class
 
us!:
We'll both be at the ALA Zine Pavilion at the end of June. See our social media stuff below for which days we'll be there.
Keidra:
new zines: So You Want to Start a Nonprofit (or Something Similar)? and Act Your Age: Heated Rivalry Special Issue
@keidrachaney + @wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com  + keidradchaney.net
Liz:
@caboosezine + @sugarhijinx + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine
+ at these events: Midwest Perzine Fest 7/11  Flowstate Fair 7/24, Sugar Hijinx & Zine Club Chicago at Ridman's Coffee 7/26, South Side Zine Fest & Carnival 8/15

This ep we welcome Ben Tanzer!
Writer, a teacher, storyteller, and general force of positivity - we've both known him for years! Host of This Podcast Will Change Your Life and ambassador of well, introducing people to each other, Ben is one of our faves. 
We talk about Ben's guidelines for hype and joy, the difference between hustle culture and diligence, and being comfortable with failure, among other things.
We did an exchange program! Recently, Ben had us on This Podcast Will Change Your Life #382! We talked creative roadmapping, work legacy and more. It was great, and like this episode of RD, super inspiring.
Wanna listen to us separately on his podcast in 2015 before Liz and Keidra knew each other?! 
Liz was on #110 + Keidra was on #127.
 
Where to find Ben!:
Ben's most recent book! After Hours: Scorsese, Grief and the Grammar of Cinema (ig publishing)
Podcast
tanzerben.com
LinkedIn
TikTok
Substack
 
us!:
Keidra's stuff:
@keidrachaney + @wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com  + keidradchaney.net
Liz's stuff:
@caboosezine + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine
 

This time around we talk Zine Scenes! In other words, what excites us with zine distros, fests we like (or wanna go to!) and collectives.
Plus, a new endeavor!
Links of stuff we talked about:
DistrosSugar HijinxBrown Recluse Zine DistroWasted Ink Zine Distro Zine Distroilovezines.comAntiquated FuturePortland Button Works & Spiral House Shop
FestsThe Sick And Disabled Zine & Craft FairGrand Rapids Zine FestMilwaukee Zine FestBlack Zine Fair NYBlack Zine Fair DetroitFestival of the PhotocopierGrid Zine FestMadison Print & ResistSouth Side Zine FestThe Zine Pavilion at ALA
Collectives/co-ops/communitiesRazorcakeJustseeds Artists’ CooperativeHallogallo & friendsDreamworldgirl ZineZapLit Zine Library at Electric Lady LoungeCrucial Comix
 
us!:
Keidra's stuff:
@keidrachaney + @wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com  + kdcstrategy.com
Liz's stuff:
@caboosezine + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine

We set a timer for 15 minutes and Liz grilled Keidra, the resident K-pop superfan about the topic. Keidra killed it with a history of the genre, as well as some personal commentary about her interest in the bands and the fan culture. A mini-episode!
Stuff we said we'd post!:
SUPER JUNIOR
NCT
SHINee
2NE1
TWICE
BTS
BLACKPINK
thebiaslist.com
Keidra writing about K-pop Fandom at Prism
Keidra on the Fansplaining Podcast on this very topic
The book chapter Keidra wrote
 
us!:
Keidra's stuff:
instagram.com/keidrachaney + instagram.com/wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social + wildramppublishing.com 
Liz's stuff:
instagram.com/caboosezine + lizmasonisawesome.com + linktr.ee/caboosezine

Look at us! Our first guest! Zine Club Chicago producer Cynthia E. Hanifin introduced us to each other via South Side Zine Fest, so of course she's our first interviewee! She is also an organizer for South Side Zine Fest, the founder of the South Side Zine Library and other very interesting things. 
We talked to her about interacting with the world through a  DIY lens, accessibility, community, connection, creativity, and the overlap between her work as an arts organizer and a social worker. And a whole lot more, including using Cheez-It boxes for zine holders and a big zine fest announcement.
 
Links!
Cynthia's stuff:
zineclubchicago.com
@zineclubchicago
@exilefromguyville
Keidra's stuff:
instagram.com/keidrachaney + instagram.com/wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social
Liz's stuff:
instagram.com/caboosezine + lizmasonisawesome.com
 

Media overview! This week we talk about what we what we loved in 2025, what we're enjoying now, and what we're looking forward to in 2026, all done courtesy of our eternal quest for  connection. Topics covered: the relief of recognition and weirdly long web urls/email addresses/band names/album names/people names/lists, you get the idea.
We said we'd post this stuff in the links, so here we go!:
Portalmania and After World by Debbie Urbanski
novels by R. F. Kuang
Heated Rivalry + Game Changers Book Series by Rachel Reid
The Woman in the Purple Skirt A Novel  by Natsuko Imamura
Liz's CHIRP Top 10 for 2025 & radio show
One Song Podcast
World Clique by Deee-Lite
Infinite Games by Consumables
ATM : BODEGA AT THIS MOMENT Podcast
It's A Beautiful Place by Water From Your Eyes
THE FUTURE IS HERE AND EVERYTHING NEEDS TO BE DESTROYED by The Armed
Poet | Artist! by SHINee
Imperial f.f.r.r. by Unrest
The Long Arm Stapler Podcast! Episode with Keidra here! Episode with Liz here!
Chicagozinefest.org
 
What are you listening to/reading RIGHT NOW? Drop us a line at roughdraftchicagopodcast@gmail.com and we'll talk about it on the show.
 
us:
Keidra: instagram.com/keidrachaney + instagram.com/wildramppublishing + bsky.app/profile/kdc.bsky.social + bsky.app/profile/wildramppublishing.bsky.social
Liz: instagram.com/caboosezine + lizmasonisawesome.com
 
Looking at this on Apple Podcasts and want to just click on hyperlinks? Go to our Podbean site to click on this episode at https://roughdraftwithkeidraandliz.podbean.com.