by ed. Pela Via
2006 Bootstrap Press Goodreads
Abortion Arcade by Cameron Pierce
A collection of three novellas by one of the shining young stars of bizarro fiction. Cameron Pierce’s work is an intoxicating blend of body horror and midnight movie madness, reminiscent of early David Lynch and the splatterpunks at their most sublime. His fiction will punch you in the brain and leave you gasping for more.
2011 Eraserhead Press Goodreads
Stranger Will by Caleb J Ross
To William Lowson, impending fatherhood means an impending stain. His work as a Human Remains Removal Specialist, professionally cleaning the stains left from dead bodies, fuels this belief. His friend and mentor Mrs. Rose, an elementary school principal, nurtures and sympathizes with his cynicism, blaming his dilemma on an imperfect world. But she has a plan around this impediment: a group of strangers-a devout collection of kindred minds who have dedicated their lives to cultivating a unique idea of perfection, and she wants William to join. But once he is in can he get out?
2011 Otherworld Publications ePub | Goodreads
I Didn’t Mean to Be Kevin by Caleb J Ross
Jackson Jacoby, a twenty-two year old boy without a mother of his own finds a plea in a newspaper from a woman, begging for her runaway son to return home. He calls, pretends to be the son, and embarks on a journey to visit this mother, spreading to strangers along the way tales of his participation in the human appendage trade, the history of his missing ear, and anything else that might validate his life like, he discovers, the love of a mother could.
2011 Black Coffee Press Kindle | ePub | Goodreads
Sorry I Ruined Your Orgy by Bradley Sands
Bizarro humorist Bradley Sands returns with one of the strangest, most hilarious collections of the year. In Sorry I Ruined Your Orgy, the pope gets sued, a headless man falls in love with a bowl of rice, and architects dismantle the earth. A war breaks out over greeting cards. A suicidal amputee tries to kill himself. William S. Burroughs becomes an amateur archaeologist and Tao Lin drinks an ape-flavored smoothie. Between a breakfast of clocks, a lunch date with Adolf Hitler, and breakdancing in outer space, anything is possible in the work of Bradley Sands. Just never wear a bear costume to an orgy.
2010 Eraserhead Press Kindle | ePub | Goodreads
A Light To Starve By: A Novella by Axel Taiari
A dark novella, set in near-future Paris, where vampires and werewolves are hunted like rabid dogs and put down just as quickly. Their existence is common knowledge, the army and police patrol the streets looking for them, families barricade themselves at night, and even the Catholic Church has its own task force. The majority of the population has been vaccinated, making their blood highly poisonous. What little remains of the vampire society is now reduced to dealing pure blood like drugs, living in hiding, owning clean human slaves to drink from, and generally living a pathetic life. Amidst the chaos, a clan-less vampire who has been starving for too long does his best to survive, mugging and stealing goods in order to feed himself. His only real link with humanity is a woman he lost years ago. As he checks up on her one night, he finds her missing, and all hell breaks loose.
2011 Rotten Leaves Press Kindle | Goodreads
Transubstantiate by Richard Thomas
“They say Jimmy made it out. But the postcards we get, well, they don’t seem . . . real.” When an experiment with population control works too well, and the planet is decimated, seven broken people are united by a supernatural bond in a modern day Eden. Most on the island are fully aware of this prison disguised as an oasis. Unfortunately, Jimmy is on the mainland, desperate to get back, in a post-apocalyptic stand-off, fighting for his survival and that of his unborn child. Back on the island, Jacob stares at the ocean through his telescope and plots his escape, reluctant to aid the cause. Marcy tries to hide from her past sexual escapades that may be her saving grace. X sits in his compound, a quiet, massive presence, trapped in his body by ancient whispers and yet free in spirit to visit other places and times. Roland, the angry, bitter son of Marcy is determined to leave, and sets out on his own. Watching over it all is Assigned, the ghost in the machine. And coming for them, to exact revenge, and finish the job that the virus started, is Gordon. He just landed on the island and he has help. Transubstantiate is a neo-noir thriller, filled with uncertainty at every portal, and jungles infiltrated with The Darkness. Vivid settings, lyrical language, and a slow reveal of plot, motivation, past crimes and future hope collide in a showdown that keeps you guessing until the final haunting words. Transubstantiate: to change from one substance into another.
2010 Otherworld Publications Kindle | ePub | Goodreads
Out of Touch by Brandon Tietz
Aidin is a twenty-four-year-old wealthy socialite who spends the majority of his time coercing women with money rather than charm, and has a penchant for drugs and bottle service at the sort of clubs and venues most people can’t afford to get into. After a night of heavy partying, he awakes one morning completely vacant of any physical sensation, and through a near-fatal occurrence, comes to find his old life is behind him whether he likes it or not. Enter: Dr. Paradies, a progressive therapist who explains to Aidin that no surgery or prescription exists for his particular condition. She assigns him a life list—a litany of 366 seemingly random items, ultimately designed to help cope with his ailment. Thus, a new addiction ensues for Aidin as he becomes completely enamored with following orders and directions that range from reviewing restaurants to handgun training, but most notably, a young woman named Dana who appears as Item #154 on his list. Little by little, Aidin begins to understand how to use the disability to his advantage, whether it’s his endless stamina in bed or how he can be beaten to a bloody pulp without flinching—he adapts. But as the list continues and the items become increasingly more cryptic, Aidin begins to suspect this might be something more than therapy. The truth behind the condition will force him to make a life-altering decision.
2010 Otherworld Publications Kindle | Goodreads
The Little Sleep: A Novel by Paul Tremblay
Raymond Chandler meets Jonathan Lethem in this wickedly entertaining debut featuring Mark Genevich, Narcoleptic Detective. Mark Genevich is a South Boston P.I. with a little problem: he’s narcoleptic, and he suffers from the most severe symptoms, including hypnogogic hallucinations. These waking dreams wreak havoc for a guy who depends on real-life clues to make his living. Clients haven’t exactly been beating down the door when Mark meets Jennifer Times—daughter of the powerful local D.A. and a contestant on American Star—who walks into his office with an outlandish story about a man who stole her fingers. He awakes from his latest hallucination alone, but on his desk is a manila envelope containing risqué photos of Jennifer. Are the pictures real, and if so, is Mark hunting a blackmailer, or worse? Wildly imaginative and with a pitch-perfect voice, The Little Sleep is the first in a new series that casts a fresh eye on the rigors of detective work, and introduces a character who has a lot to prove—if only he can stay awake long enough to do it.
2009 Holt Paperbacks Kindle | ePub | Goodreads
No Sleep till Wonderland: A Novel by Paul Tremblay
Mark Genevich is stuck in a rut: his narcolepsy isn’t improving, his private-detective business is barely scraping by, and his landlord mother is forcing him to attend group therapy sessions. Desperate for companionship, Mark goes on a two-day bender with a new acquaintance, Gus, who is slick and charismatic—and someone Mark knows very little about. When Gus asks Mark to protect a friend who is being stalked, Mark inexplicably finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation and soon becomes the target of the police, a sue-happy lawyer, and a violent local bouncer. Will Mark learn to trust himself in time to solve the crime—and in time to escape with his life? Written with the same “witty voice that doesn’t let go”* that has won Paul Tremblay so many fans, No Sleep Till Wonderland features a memorable detective whose only hope for reconciling with his difficult past is to keep movin
g—asleep or awake—toward an uncertain future. *Library Journal, starred review for The Little Sleep
2010 St. Martin’s Griffin ePub | Goodreads | Audio
(photo: Charles King)
Contributor Index
Matt Bell
Tim Beverstock
Blake Butler
Vincent Louis Carrella
Craig Clevenger
Craig Davidson
Chris Deal
DeLeon DeMicoli
Christopher J Dwyer
Steve Erickson
Brian Evenson
Sean P Ferguson
Amanda Gowin
JR Harlan
Gordon Highland
Anthony David Jacques
Mark Jaskowski
Jeremy Robert Johnson
Stephen Graham Jones
Phil Jourdan
Charles King
Nik Korpon
Jesse Lawrence
Gary Paul Libero
Kyle Minor
Livius Nedin
Doc O’Donnell
Robb Olson
J David Osborne
Rob Parker
Bob Pastorella
Gavin Pate
Cameron Pierce
Logan Rapp
Edward J Rathke
Caleb J Ross
Bradley Sands
Axel Taiari
Richard Thomas
Brandon Tietz
Gayle Towell
Paul Tremblay
Pela Via
Craig Wallwork
Nic Young
Booked Podcast
The Velvet
Matt Bell is the author of How They Were Found and Cataclysm Baby, a novella forthcoming from MLP in 2012. His fiction has appeared in Conjunctions, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Gulf Coast, Unsaid, and American Short Fiction, and has been selected for inclusion in anthologies such as Best American Mystery Stories 2010 and Best American Fantasy 2. He works as an editor at Dzanc Books, where he also runs the literary magazine The Collagist, and as the Visiting Writer at Greenhills School in Ann Arbor. He can be found online at www.mdbell.com.
See also:
"Mantodea" by Matt Bell
Foreword by Steve Erickson
Recommended Reading
Tim Beverstock uses writing to explore his fascination with all things sweet-natured and dark. His angular, urban narratives feature characters clinging to the edge of their feelings as they dip below the surface of modern life and experience the hidden ambiguities of their existence. Between writing, he enjoys indulging in his passion for boutique beers, volunteering for a food rescue organization and reading noir fiction. He is 32 and lives in Wellington, New Zealand. For news and updates bookmark: www.beverst.com.
See also:
"The Weight of Consciousness" by Tim Beverstock
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Blake Butler lives in Atlanta and edits HTMLGIANT. He is the author of Ever and Scorch Atlas and There is No Year. In November 2011, Harper Perennial will publish a nonfiction book about sleep, Nothing.
See also:
"What Was There Inside the Child" by Blake Butler
The Return of Independence by Phil Jourdan
Recommended Reading
Vincent Louis Carrella is an award-winning writer, game designer and father of two girls. His debut novel, Serpent Box, follows the mystical life of a deformed ten-year-old snake handling boy in post-depression Tennessee. Learn more at www.serpentbox.com or on Twitter @theserpentbox. Follow his Blogazine, Giphantia, at www.eyeattheendofmyhand.blogspot.com.
See also:
"The Redemption of Garvey Flint" by Vincent Louis Carrella
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Recommended Reading
Craig Clevenger is the author of The Contortionist’s Handbook (MacAdam/Cage, 2002) and Dermaphoria (MacAdam/Cage, 2005). He is currently at work on his third novel.
See also:
"Act of Contrition" by Craig Clevenger
Foreword by Steve Erickson
Final Thoughts by Livius Nedin and Robb Olson
The Return of Independence by Phil Jourdan
Interviews with Booked Podcast
Transcript: Craig Clevenger
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Recommended Reading
(photo: Timothy Faust)
Craig Davidson wrote the books Rust and Bone, The Fighter, and Sarah Court. His nonfiction has appeared in Esquire and GQ.
See also:
"Bad, Bad, Bad Bad Men" by Craig Davidson
Recommended Reading
(photo: Lisa Myers)
Chris Deal writes from Illinois.
See also:
"In Exile" by Chris Deal
Foreword by Steve Erickson
Final Thoughts by Livius Nedin and Robb Olson
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Interviews with Booked Podcast
Recommended Reading
DeLeon DeMicoli lives in San Francisco, CA. When he’s not writing, he trains in Mixed Martial Arts.
See also:
"Blood Atonement" by DeLeon DeMicoli
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Recommended Reading
Christopher J Dwyer is the author of When October Falls and numerous short stories that skirt the edges of noir, horror and science fiction. His work has been featured in several fiction anthologies and magazines both online and print, including Twisted Tongue Magazine, Pendulum, Colored Chalk, Red Fez, Shalla Magazine, New Horizons, Gold Dust Magazine, Nefarious Muse, and Sex and Murder. He is the former writer-in-residence of indie online magazine Dogmatika. He can be reached through www.christopherjdwyer.com or Twitter @chrisjdwyer.
See also:
"Midnight Souls" by Christopher J Dwyer
Recommended Reading
Steve Erickson is the author of eight acclaimed novels: Days Between Stations, Rubicon Beach, Tours of the Black Clock, Arc d’X, Amnesiascope, The Sea Came in at Midnight, Our Ecstatic Days and Zeroville. Currently he’s the film critic for Los Angeles magazine and editor of the literary journal Black Clock, which is published by the California Institute of the Arts where he teaches in the MFA Writing Program. His ninth novel, These Dreams of You, will be published in early 2012.
See also:
Foreword by Steve Erickson
Warmed and Bound: Up Close by Phil Jourdan
The Fuse
Recommended Reading
Brian Evenson is the author of ten books of fiction, most recently the limited edition novella Baby Leg. His work has been translated into French, Italian, Spanish, Japanese and Slovenian. He lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island, where he directs Brown University’s Literary Arts Program. He is the recipient of three O. Henry Prizes as well as an NEA fellowship.
See also:
"The Killer" by Brian Evenson
Foreword by Steve Erickson
Final Thoughts by Livius Nedin and Robb Olson
Interviews with Booked Podcast
Transcript: Brian Evenson
Recommended Reading
Sean P Ferguson is an EMT and a PST for the state of New Jersey. In his off time he reads and writes all he can. His work has been published in the literary journal Cellar Door and in Colored Chalk. He is currently working on a novel, a number of short stories, and reviews. You can follow him at www.SeanPFerguson.com.
See also:
"Inside Out" by Sean P Ferguson
Interviews with Booked Podcast
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Amanda Gowin lives in the foothills of Appalachia with her husband and son. Her stories have been published in BlackHeart Magazine and Thunderdome. She has always written and always will.
See also:
"The World Was Clocks" by Amanda Gowin
Final Thoughts by Livius Nedin and Robb Olson
Interviews with Booked Podcast
The Multiple Voices Inside
Your Book
JR Harlan is from Southern California. He is fond of words, women, and whiskey. He runs Nefarious Muse, a short fiction blog at www.nefariousmuse.com.
See also:
"Love" by JR Harlan
Gordon Highland is the author of the novels Major Inversions and the forthcoming Flashover. A member of The Velvet since 2006, he is a site moderator and one of its most frequent posters. Gordon has been directing videos professionally for over fifteen years, and lives in the Kansas City area, where he also enjoys writing, recording, and performing music. Visit him at gordonhighland.com.
See also:
"Headshot" by Gordon Highland
Interviews with Booked Podcast
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Recommended Reading
Anthony David Jacques has bagged groceries, sold women’s clothing, booked international travel, roasted coffee, repossessed cars, survived cancer and Christianity, gotten married, written a novel, and now he works as a gemologist while slaving over prose. Writing is what he does to make sense of everything else. His short fiction has been published at Colored Chalk, Dogmatika, Troubadour 21, Pulp Metal Magazine and Outsider Writers Collective. He is currently at work on his second novel. www.anthonydavidjacques.com
See also:
"The Liberation of Edward Kellor" by Anthony David Jacques
Interviews with Booked Podcast
The Multiple Voices Inside Your Book
Mark Jaskowski lives in Gainesville, Florida, where he works rather strange service industry jobs and writes at the picnic table near his apartment. This is his first published work.
