Levels by Karl Fischer Rating: 9/10 “It can be good to embrace nonsensical things. Life is like that.” – Leonard Marcs I adore books that pretzel the brain and expand the mind. Karl Fischer’s novel Levels does so in spades. The culmination of a decade of work and six iterations, Fischer leads us on a … Continue reading Book Review: Levels
Bizarre Books That Made Me a Writer
How did I become the writer I am today? Books, of course. Anyone who tells you that reading isn’t important for writing is a stinking liar. I can trace my evolution of thought and style precisely by examining the books that made the greatest impact on me. The Cloven Viscount & the Nonexistent Knight by … Continue reading Bizarre Books That Made Me a Writer
Author Interview: Gina Ranalli
Gina Ranalli has been in bizarro fiction since the beginning. She even helped come up with the name after once describing her work as “mondo bizarro.” Like many of the Featured Authors, I discovered her work through the Bizarro Starter Kits. Her novella Suicide Girls in the Afterlife made me an instant fan. Since then … Continue reading Author Interview: Gina Ranalli
Book Review: World Revolver
World Revolver by Gina Ranalli Rating: 8/10 “What is reality?” is my favorite question in literature and the premise of much of my writing. Gina Ranalli’s short novel World Revolver offers a unique perspective on this mind-bending question. The book opens with a manifesto on the environment and the sustainability of the planet. While this … Continue reading Book Review: World Revolver
My 7 Favorite Bizarre Books – Spring 2020
Summer’s here! Or almost here. Being trapped inside during this quarantine has allowed me to read oodles of great bizarro and bizarro-adjacent fiction. I had trouble limiting the list to only five books, so here are the top seven. NOTE: These are books I’ve read in spring of 2020, not necessarily ones that were released … Continue reading My 7 Favorite Bizarre Books – Spring 2020
Work in Progress: GENERICA
I thought I’d take a break from my usual content to share with you the novella I’ve been working on. Fantasy was my first love. Much of my teens took place with my nose in a doorstopper by Terry Goodkind or Terry Brooks. Indeed my first foray into writing long fiction was a clichéd high … Continue reading Work in Progress: GENERICA
The Carlton Mellick Challenge
No one possesses a larger or more renowned oeuvre in the bizarro community than Carlton Mellick III (or CM3). It was in fact his novel Satan Burger that catalyzed the genre in the first place. Putting out roughly three books a year since 2001, he has a bibliography of over 60 books. It was this … Continue reading The Carlton Mellick Challenge
Author Interview: Douglas Hackle
Amy M. Vaughn, bizarro author and friend of the blog, describes Douglas Hackle as "the best bizarro absurdist in the business." He is the author of two short novels and two collections and was nominated for the Wonderland Award. I discovered Hackle’s work in the Red volume of The Bizarro Starter Kit and soon encountered … Continue reading Author Interview: Douglas Hackle
Book Review: Terror Mannequin
Terror Mannequin by Douglas Hackle Rating: 8.5/10 Terror Mannequin by Douglas Hackle is the reason why I read bizarro fiction, a blend of humor and the preposterous assembled in the perfect ratio. It’s one of those stories that makes you ask: “How did he ever come up with that?” When I began reading, I thought … Continue reading Book Review: Terror Mannequin
Women in Bizarre Fiction, Pt. 1
This week I’m taking a look at some of my favorite female authors on the bizarre fiction scene and their work. Some I’ve mentioned previously on this blog, but I feel the need to trumpet them, as they are just that good. -- Gina Ranalli Swarm of Flying Eyeballs It would not be a list … Continue reading Women in Bizarre Fiction, Pt. 1
