Bazooka Magazine

This afternoon while visiting the Lowertown Arts and Music festival, a buxom lady and her camera-wielding friend pounced on my two tiny puppies. At first I was surprised, while children normally fuss over the critters adults are normally more reserved. Until she introduced herself.

"I'm Bella Bazooka of Bazooka Magazine. Have you heard of me?"

I admitted that I had not, but after trading niceties and being pointed to her booth, I definitely wanted to. Fellow writers, especially one with the cojones to start and run an independent magazine deserve all the kudos they can get in my book--and frankly, Bella was so over-the-top I had to check this out!

At the booth I was handed the most recent issue as well as the November 2009 issue. We traded a few niceties before the kid, puppies and I headed out to enjoy the festival.

After a while we decided it was time to eat so we headed out in search of some grub. This was when I finally looked through the two magazines I had been given.

I wanted to cry this stuff was so refreshing! It screams personality, namely Bella's personality so by golly I decided to tell her she was on to something! After dropping off the dogs at home we went back to the now-closing festival and I tracked down this incredible lady and her entourage.

Ms. Bella is a single mom doing her best to support two kids and kicking some serious butt to do it. She started this magazine a year ago when she finally realised that she had to get off her butt and do MORE than she was at the time. With just an idea she managed to not only finance the first issue but several other issues as well. She is likeable, vivacious and incredibly down-to-earth.

Bazooka magazine covers art. romance, rants, music, the local bar scene here in Paducah, Ky as well as boasting its' very own lovelorn column appropriately titled "Sex in the Sticks." Bella has even sold a date with herself, not only to keep the magazine in business but to help abused children through Sunrise Children's Services as well.

I have just sat here and read the handful of back issues that Bella so generously gave me after I tracked her down at the festival tonight. I didn't just flip through them, I read them and wanted more. There is a wonderful irreverency within these pages that one does not see in traditional printed media with potential just screaming from the pages.

Don't take my word for it: Run down to one of the bars in Paducah like Mother Duncan's or step into one of the local tattoo parlors like the Jolly Rogers and grab your very own copy of Bazooka magazine. You can even find a copy at Roof Brothers Wine and Spritis, Crash Comics, Fat Moe's, Maiden Alley Cinema, Smoke Shop in Lone Oak, Flamingo Row and B&G Liquors.

If you're on Facebook, look her up. If you have a business open your wallet and buy an ad or if you are a reader why not send her a couple of bucks? Trust me, this lovely lady would be very grateful for any help that enables her to keep this refreshing piece of Paducah alive, or don't trust me and email her so she can speak for herself. As she so frankly states on the second page, "..please give me money so I don't have to work the truck stop." Let's help her out folks!

Bazooka Magazine has arrived, and it is shaking the sidewalks in Paducah, Kentucky. Go read what the excitement's about--I dare ya!