The following is a list of publications (zines and books) available from Butter Lamb Press. Information on how to order any of the titles you see here can be found at the bottom of this page.
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Part review zine, part first-person account of life in a place I call Ravens Way, with a little commentary thrown in for good measure, The Ravens Way Review is sure to delight the most discerning zine readers! Each well-crafted issue is at least 40 (half-size legal) pages, features a bunch of (in-depth) zine reviews, and is created to be worth your time and money. What are you waiting for? Order yours now!
Current Issue #4 (Released August 2026)
Price: $4
Contents:
- What's Going On? - What the connection between leaf blowers and A.I.?
- Commentary: Just what ... or who is the Singularity?
- True Stories - Room and Board (or Why I Gave Up My Mattress for Henry David Thoreau) and Interview with a Doorknocker
- Zine Reviews (lots and lots of zine reviews)
- Reader letters. Finally! (Four pages of 'em)
- Notes on the issue - My customary section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
Back Issues ($4 each)
Issue #3's Contents Include:
- What's Going On? - Do you really see the world?
- Commentary: Wondering what's the point? Look to Fred
- True Stories - The Final Chapter: The Community Library Closes Its Doors
- An absolute shit ton of Zine Reviews
- Notes on the issue - An additional section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
Issue #2's Contents Include:
- What's Going On? - The customary introduction
- Following Up ... additional information on items from issue #1
- Unsolicited Rants - Commentary that reminds you "you're going to feel like hell if you wake up some day and realize you never did the thing that's tugging at the sleeves of your heart."
- True Stories - "Why I Didn't Open for Lydia Lunch" and "(Not Quite) A Year of Something New"
- Tons of Zine Reviews - 12 pages in all!
- Notes on the issue - An additional section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
Issue #1's Contents Include:
- What's Going On? (An Introduction)
- Unsolicited Rants about hanging out in parking lots to avoid people, the concept of evolutionary mismatch and how it might mess with our heads, and a lawsuit about pasta
- Longer pieces on the "derelict vessels" of Ravens Way and why my first concert was infinitely better than "Becky's"
- A whole lot of zine reviews
- Notes on the issue - An additional section filled with commentary, factoids, and miscellany about the contents of this issue
REVIEWS of The RAVENS WAY REVIEW
"Joe3 ... writes about some things going on in his life. This includes the weird stuff left around his neighborhood, which leads him to some great insights into why we create zines (I won’t spoil it for you). There’s also a reflection on the death of zinester Fred Argoff and the closing of a community library Joe3 created many years ago. This last piece was especially interesting, as a fair amount of drama occurred, and it covers something—a community library—about which I have no experience, but was written in an engaging manner. The zines reviewed covers Subjects like radio, travel, libraries, and more, so there’s something for everyone. There are fewer zines reviewing zines, so much appreciation to Joe3 for taking on the mantle and including info about his life, too." – Kurt Morris, Razorcake
"Ravens Way Review is one of my favorite current zines, in part because the zine reviews have real depth, insight, and generosity. I often send off for zines I discover in its pages, and I am not disappointed". – Rev. Jamez, Instagram
"An all-around great zine. Honest, intentional, and a joy to read cover-to-cover! The Ravens Way Review by Joe3, offers slice-of-life stories from the author as well as zine reviews, all set in Ravens Way, a magical realism amalgam of common, everyday places with a tone similar to Paul Baribeau’s Beach Grass Seasonal Newsletter zine, Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon setting, or Welcome to the Night Vale, but in the suburbs. The writing is clean, engaging, and especially touching where Joe3 honors the zinester Fred Argoff after his recent passing. This is the zine I would give to people who want solid examples of personal zines and are just starting to dip their toes in the medium." – Cameron Tepper, Razorkcake
"This issue (#1) of The Ravens Way Review does have some zine reviews (including an issue of Razorcake)
but also includes much more. The first section is a commentary about
what’s going on in Joe’s life, including an update about people
abandoning boats along the roads in Maryland. There’s an inspiring
essay about the importance of writing no matter what, which I highly
identified with.
The second issue (#2) of the zine includes two “true
stories,” as Joe calls them. The first is about his truck breaking down
on his way for his band to open for Lydia Lunch last year. To say Joe
was upset about Ford’s customer service would be putting it lightly. His
behavior made me wince, as I don’t believe there’s ever a need to yell
or cuss out customer service folks. The second story is about Joe’s
attempt at trying something new for a year (and only making it less than
two months). He recounts some of those experiences here. I enjoy a good
perzine, and the layout is crisp and clean, which I appreciate, too.
I’d be interested in checking out future issues." – Kurt Morris, Razorcake
"As always, the design and editing [of The Ravens Way Review] make for an enjoyable reading experience. He starts off with an unusual experience in the woods as a segue into why he publishes and the gap between issues. In the essay “Good Help Is Hard to Find (Or why I didn’t open for Lydia Lunch in Buffalo),” we’re treated to a road trip gone wrong and related customer service woes, with some trivia about Breezeway, Pa. thrown in for good measure. Joe also attempts a year (becomes a month) of something new every day. There’s a robust zine review section, including a tribute to Fred Argoff. Enjoyable." – Davida G. Breier, Razorcake
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Alternative Incite
*** AI HAS CEASED PUBLICATION - ALL BACK ISSUES STILL AVAILABLE ***
ISSUE #6 - SUMMER 2022: After too long of a pause between issues, Alternative Incite #6 is finally out. Included among its contents are: the usual opening rant by yours truly, along with some additional thoughts on creativity from people who aren't me; commentary on thought-provoking and/or irritating articles about "resisting the smush," being happy with (or maybe without) smartphone apps, listening to your laziness (I told you lazy was the new busy), and confusing status with purpose; a unique installment of Notes from the Field featuring an account of an interesting experience in my favorite bookstore and excerpt from my (hopefully) forthcoming book in which I interview a panhandler; an interview with self-publishing veteran Catherine Groves of Christian*New Age Quarterly; more awesome photos by my talented brother J. Matthew Smith, letters, and publications received; and, finally, a concluding article (i.e., Parting Shot) about a Chinese man who left it all behind to read books in a cave. And did I mention that this is the final issue of Alternative Incite? I write about that too. 40 pages, half-size legal
ISSUE #5 - WINTER 2022: Issue #5 of our well-reviewed magazine, Alternative Incite, is out now! This issue features introductory thoughts on being unruly for creative reasons, commentary on time management, whether or not you should become a librarian, and a lot more, an interview with humor writer and all around productive guy Fred Wright, reader letters, another HUGE reviews column, and a "Parting Shot" about a wizard in New Zealand who created his own "existential universe." 40 pages, half-size legal
ISSUE #4 - SUMMER 2021: Alternative Incite #4 features thoughts on the Memento Mori craze, an interview with zine veteran Davida Gypsy Breier, all the usual departments and commentary you’ve come to expect, letters from readers, another HUGE reviews column featuring zinedom's latest and greatest, intriguing photos, and a bonus “Parting Shot” interview with a young man who built a roller coaster in his backyard!
ISSUE #3 - SPRING 2021: Offers more introductory ranting and raving about following the creative impulse, letters from (actual) readers, Thoughts Provoked by misuse of the word acedia and people who treat walking like it’s a job, more Notes from the Field -- including a yarn about walking around town with a large grandfather clock, an interview with graphic designer and font maker Travis Miller, a huge review section, Dear Butter Lamb (letters from fake readers), and a Parting Shot about a man who rowed a Victorian bathtub across the English Channel. 40 pages, half-size legal
ISSUE #2 - FALL 2020: features: Introductory remarks about how following your creative impulses can help you cope with all the bullshit, more hot takes on thought-provoking articles you (probably) haven't read, more adventures in anachronism (aka: life lived off-line), interview with stand-up comic Rob Gavin and Barbershop singer Dan Hawrylczak, a HUGE review column, and a "Parting Shot" about what can happen when a man starts a ball of twine. 40 pages, half-size legal
ISSUE #1 - SPRING 2020: An introductory rant about getting off your ass and doing the thing, hot takes on important articles you (probably) haven't read, an op-ed about "getting off the hamster wheel," an examination of the "new normal" (whatever that is), adventures in anachronism (aka: life lived off-line), an interview with musician Suvo Sur (who produces scores for award-winning films and podcasts), advice and insight from the Butter Lamb Reference Library, and a remembrance of and shout out to the "Doyenne of Dictionaries." 40 pages, half-size legal
REVIEWS of ALTERNATIVE INCITE
"I
found the overall voice of the zine to be intelligent and well-written
without getting too ‘heavy’ or ‘dense’. The ‘Dear Butter Lamb’ section
with letters from readers even made me smile with the answers using
references from different dictionaries. (Have I mentioned that I think
it’s cool that Joe3 collects dictionaries?)
All up, I enjoyed
this zine quite a lot. Even better? This is the first of a new series. I
hope it continues for many more and includes the elements Joe3 mentions
wanting to include." - seagreenzines.com
"Joe’s writing;
Joe3 writes like a mad wordsmith that has a rhythm on his mind that is
compelling him to write. The words vibrate and make you, the reader,
feel something." - Feral Publications
"This zine was started
during the pandemic and in its short time already shows a lot of
strength. From the opening, editor Joe3 had me. He begins his editorial
by talking about death, which is seriously a favorite topic of mine. I
mean, I give tours of burying grounds. But this zine isn’t just about
death. There’s a wide variety of content: letters from readers, zine
reviews, an interview with zinester Davida Gypsy Breier (of Xerography
Debt), an article about typewriters, and another about working from
home. And that’s just some of the material. All of it is written in such
a way that even if you don’t have an interest in the topic, you read
the essay because it’s engaging. A great collection of material that was
consistent from beginning to end." – Kurt Morris/Razorcake.com
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Jailed By My Father
by J. Matthew Smith
Price $8
Publisher : Manual Publishing
Publication date : May 1, 2007
Edition : First Edition
Language : English
Print length : 110 pages
ISBN-10 : 0979617502
ISBN-13 : 978-0979617508
Item Weight : 5.6 ounces
Reviews
"Jailed
By My Father" is a very sweet book. I read it slowly, savoring it while
on the train to work each morning. I was struck by the shear honesty
with which Smith shares vignettes from his childhood and teenage years,
some of which are not terribly flattering. It would have been easy to
become unsympathetic had those stories not been so well balanced with as
many tender moments from his past. The result is a well-rounded glimpse
into his character. The writing style is accessible and I was easily
transported to the Buffalo of several decades past. It was truly a joy
to read. - MKG
This book is a hysterical collection of
blue-collar "morals of the stories." If you were a kid alive in the late
1960s and early 1970s in any working-class American town, chances are
you had this father or heard about him from your friends. Well, J.
Matthew Smith has brought him back again from his vivid memory to remind
us in these days of TMI, Jerry Springer, and battles over sex education
in the classroom that sometimes a simple grunt of advice, a hard day's
work, or a brief visit to the local jail can do more for a child than
any touchy-feely family therapy. Read it! Learn from it! Pass it on! -
Chris D.
If you are afraid of laughing out loud, don't read this
book. With all the drivel that is out there about father and son
relationships it's nice to read something that tells it like it really
is, flaws and all, and somehow makes us closer to our own parents. The
book is outstanding and I highly recommend it. - Michael G.
You can read addition reviews on Amazon. (But please don't purchase the book from them.)
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TO ORDER ANY OF THE ABOVE
Send cash (no checks) to:
The Butter Lamb Reference Library
PO Box 3067
Laurel, MD 20709
You can also purchase these via PayPal @ manualpubs(at)yahoo(dot)com.
VERY IMPORTANT:
When ordering, please be sure to:
1) Specify which title and issue you want, and
2)
Include an email where we can reach you - sometimes there are problems
with the post office or delays on my end that I try to keep you aware
of.
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