Shards of glass in your eye!
#8, Take A Peek
February 2013
Established in 1995 by Kari Tervo, Shards Of Glass In Your Eye! is a humor + random zine (as described by the author) featuring offbeat insights from an unconventional observer.
Issue Summaries
I'll Be Your Best Friend (#1; 1995 [Out of Print]): The inaugural issue of Shards, created overnight in a fit of creative frustration, features half-baked adolescent political rants, poetry, book and movie recommendations, a baking tip, and more.
Cover Model (#2; 1995 [Out of Print]): Issue #2, also an overnight creation, features a paean to hostility and despair, an examination of traditional weddings, an encouragement not to conform to either "mainstream" or "alternative" cultures, a mild obsession with Albert Einstein, an opportunity to play tic-tac-toe, and more.
Disco Ball Party Zine! (#3; November 2010): Issue #3 was inspired by the 2011 Revenge of Print challenge (via Atomic Books), which challenged zine-makers to make one more issue of their zine in 2011. Too excited to wait until 2011 to make copies, Tervo published #3 in November, 2010. Issue #3 features a psychic reading, upper middle class terminology, photos, celebrity sightings, a roast beef sandwich recipe, and more. Notably, Tervo's essay "In Defense of Thin Women," which examines pop-feminism, beauty standards, and the notion of the "real woman," was re-printed in Photocopy Press in 2011.
Sex Sells (#4; April 2011): Issue #4 features a renegade Beverly Hills walking tour, a lecture to Grammar Nazis, more celebrity sightings, a series of fond reminiscences, and more. This issue contains another "serious" essay: "Beyond Raverdome" deconstructs the negatively-biased electronica-related writing of an LA Weekly writer.
Heart Attack (#5; July 2011): Issue #5 features "homeopathic cures," modern Boy Scout merit badges, likely titles found in Osama bin Laden's porn collection, what I love about sexism, humorous essays about cars, petty theft, and mood-related gambling, lifestyle tips, and more.
Collated Zine Supplement (#6; February 2012): Issue #6 features a ton of Beverly Hills tidbits, celebrity sightings (with special reality show edition), diary entries, life advice, a psychological quiz, baby shower bitchery, a paean to penises, and more.
Pony Up (#7; August 2012): In Issue #7, you'll learn a sexy vocab word, get to know Kari (and her puns) in Audacious Inquiries!, learn why you shouldn't call yourself an overachiever, sing along to The Domestically-Challenged Blues, consider how life would be better for American women if the terrorists won, and more.
Take a Peek (#8; February 2013): This installment explores the trauma of white after Labor Day, offers beauty supplies for psychologists, and tells you one simple rule for dating a guy from a rock band. Plus, see how Russell Brand is a real card, compliment Canada, and pshht! at a trendy foot condition. Now with expanded celebrity sightings section!
Reviews
Shards of Glass In Your Eye! received its first review in July, 2011. Sofia of Weatherfield opined about #4, "I did like it quite a bit; it seemed, to me, exactly like how I imagined a zine would be."
In Spring 2011, Elizabeth at Photocopy Press reviewed Shards of Glass In Your Eye! #3. Elizabeth reported that she enjoyed #3 and "honestly laughed out loud at a few parts." Tervo's essay "In Defense of Thin Women" was re-printed in its entirety in the Spring 2011 issue of Photocopy Press.
In February, 2011, Kathy Mosely of Xerography Debt reviewed Shards #3 and #4. Ms. Mosely described Shards as "a true potpourri zine with a heavy dose of snark."
In August, 2011, Joe Biel of Xerography Debt reviewed Shards #3. Mr. Biel said about Tervo's old-school cut-and-paste approach, "Kari brings back the 90s in this zine's format, but I have to wonder if the bar shan't be raised. . .I believe one should be challenged by the zine-making craft. . ."
In August, 2011, DJ Frederick of One Minute Zine Reviews reviewed Shards #5. He said in his audio review, "Kari Tervo has written an incredibly funny zine. . .I love zines that get this creative."
In 2011, Sarah Bennett of LA Record reviewed Shards #3 and #4, and said, "Tervo's fuck-it-all attitude is welcome in this world of polished computer-designed rags. Thanks to Atomic Books for motivating Tervo to cut, paste, and photocopy her reflections into a black-and-white half-pager. . ."
On September 5, 2011, P.C. Ferguson wrote about #5 in North Beach Notebook, stating about her experience at the 2011 San Francisco Zine Fest: "My favorite [zine from SF Zine Fest] has to be Shards of Glass in Your Eye! by a woman named Kari Tervo who lives in LA. Here's one of her 'homeopathic cures' listed on the inside cover: 'For Naivete: Place a magical amulet under your pillow. It will strengthen your critical thinking skills.'"
In January, 2012, Elizabeth of Photocopy Press wrote regarding #5, "Kari explains her love for the last page of magazines and decides to try and make issue #5 a whole zine of 'last pages.' Kari writes her zine with a witty sense of humor. . ."
In April, 2012, Kurt Morris of Razorcake wrote about #6, "It's done in a cut and paste style reminiscent of how I did my zines back in high school and how I really feel like all true zines should be done...This makes for good toilet reading as well as a nice pick me up when you're feeling a little down." This bit from #6 was featured in Razorcake as a pull-quote: "Dear Diary: Earlier, I stabbed my finger right through with my cat's insulin needle. This is how super-powers begin. I bet I'm going to turn into a puma."
In May, 2012, Josh Saitz of Negative Capability said in an interview, "I am also into a zine called Shards of Glass in Your Eye! by Kari Tervo. She's fucking hilarious. . ."
In June, 2012, reviewer mishap of Zine World wrote about Shards #5, "Ah, that rare bird: a humor zine with a personal bent. . .Check this out."
In July 2012, YouTube reviewer Billy said of Shards #6, "She's got a funny sense of humor, there's nothing that's too deep. . .a funny, sarcastic zine."
In the Golden Jubilee issue of The East Village Inky, Ayun Halliday wrote about Shards #6, "Another extremely funny zinemaking lady!. . .She talks scat about DIY joints ("the whole point of the Beverly Hills mystique is that you are not doing it yourself. This is a scourge upon the neighborhood")...[Kari] is at her most hilarious in the fortune cookie fortune-sized entries entitled 'Reminiscing'..."
Zine Fests
Tervo sold/traded issues 3-5 at the 2011 San Francisco Zine Fest, September 3-4, 2011. She also distributed buttons that she designed that said, "Be Your Own Subculture," the tagline on the back of Issue #5.
At the 2012 LA Zine Fest on February 19, 2012, Tervo distributed issues 3-6 and gave away Be Your Own Subculture buttons.
At the 2013 LA Zine Fest on February 18, 2013, Tervo planned on trading issues #3-#8. However, the line wrapped around the block. Unable to enter the venue, she distributed all the copies (including two Compleat Humour Paks) to the people standing outside in line. Some appreciated Shards for helping to pass the wait time, and some for the makeshift sun umbrella.
Honors
In August, 1995, the Five-College Discordian Society of Saint Rufus named Tervo a Pope in the House of the Apostles of Eris for Issue #2 of Shards, particularly the "Special Middle Page Randomness Spread." Her resulting member name is Pope of Pink Lemonade.
Contact
- shardsofglassinyoureye@gmail.com.
- Kari Tervo, P.O. Box 7831, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
