I Didn't Mean to be Kevin Archives » Page 3 of 5

New short story available at Amazon.com, “The Lipidopterist.” Man collects human lips. Ex-wife wants half of his collection.

March 9, 2012

It has been a while since I've had a short story to whore out to the world. While I've been busy bombarding poor souls with news of my 3 recent book releases, I haven't had much to say in the way of short stories since...well, since September, if you can count my non-fiction piece "Denis Johnson Almost Drank My Pee" as a short story at Dark Sky (though "short story" implies fiction, and the Dark Sky piece isn't). Anyway, my story "The Lipidopterist" is now available as a Kindle story over at Amazon.com. I recently read this story in St. Louis at the Meshuggah Cafe. The reactions were quite good, I must say. I believe it is also part of the Kindle lending library thing, or at least will be shortly. Still, though, it's only $0.99. Fork over the coins! Available now from the fake publisher Viscera Irrational. Buy. Read.

Quotes from Flannery O’Connor’s “Some Aspects of the Grotesque in Southern Fiction”

February 26, 2012

In the world of grotesque fiction, Flannery O'Connor is the go-to mouth to voice what's worth our academic time and what's worth ignoring. Knowing my love of the grotesque and my respect for Flannery O'Connor, Richard Thomas passed along a copy of O'Connor's important "Some Aspects of the Grotesque in Southern Fiction" (1960) which somehow I had never read before. I'm glad I have now rectified that problem. Below are a few choice quotes, words I'm sure I will cite for the rest of my writing career, especially when citing my own grotesque fiction. On mystery as motivation ...if the writer believes that our life is and will remain essentially mysterious, if he looks upon us as beings existing in a created order to whose laws we freely respond, then what he sees on the surface will be of interest to him only as he can go through it into an experience of mystery…

Booked Podcast. Noir at the Bar. The Velvet Podcast.

January 28, 2012

I’ve been non-stop busy the past few weeks. I feel as though I’ve done nothing, as my to-do list never shrinks. But somehow, as I look back, all that I felt never happened, is done. Here’s a few things: The wonderful Robb Olson and Livius Nedin at Booked Podcast did a full episode about my work, splitting time with my two newest books, I Didn’t Mean to be Kevin and As a Machine and Parts. The things these guys say, it makes me blush colors of red never before blushed by humans. Listen to the full episode now, and be sure to stay to the end to hear Mlaz Corbier say awesome things about my awesome socks. Pablo D’Stair and I recorded another episode of The Velvet Podcast. We talked about one my recent tweets: [blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/calebjross/status/158648828218707968"] I hope to have the episode edited and posted within a week. As…

What is Domestic Grotesque Fiction and Why Do I Write It?

January 21, 2012

I’ve called myself a writer of grotesque family fiction, but what does that term really mean? I give a brief definition of grotesque domestic fiction, or grotesque family fiction, by way of example, in an earlier blog post: Take a family situation—usually some sort of broken family dynamic—mix in something grotesque—possibly morbid but not necessarily—and you’ve probably got domestic grotesque. But I don’t know if that fully captures it. Up front, I have to say that I’ve always been the type to back away from definitions that try too hard to avoid definition. You know the type; those writers who say, “No, I don’t write horror fiction, I write transgressive commentaries on modernist life where social norms are exposed as metaphorical fangs in the collective neck…” But in the world of marketing, it is important to simultaneously embrace and reject established genres. You know, ride coattails while sewing your own.…

I Didn’t Mean to be Kevin is here!!!

January 17, 2012

How the hell did I not post about this already? Things have been busy around here, in all good ways, I assure you. But that's no excuse. You should have known much earlier than now that I Didn't Mean to be Kevin is officially here! For now, it's available in the Kindle store and will be going live in other stores, both electronic and print, in the coming days. Get it now.

99 cents, now through January 17th, Charactered Pieces and Murmurs.

January 9, 2012

All eBook versions of either Charactered Pieces or Murmurs: Gathered Stories Vol. One are only $0.99 from now through January 17th. Why January 17th? Because that is the official release date for my newest novel, I Didn't Mean to be Kevin. Just click a link below to go either directly to the Amazon Kindle store or to the Smashwords pages where other formats can be purchased (including NOOK, Sony, Kobo, iBooks, etc.) Please, spread the word if you are willing and able. This is a damn fine deal, I must say, and is a great opportunity to whet your appetite for the upcoming I Didn't Mean to be Kevin.

It’s official. I Didn’t Mean to be Kevin releases January 17, 2012. Preorders start December 19th.

December 17, 2011

Preorder details for my new novel, I Didn't Mean to be Kevin are forthcoming. Until then, get all excited with this synopsis. Tis the season for Caleb, more Caleb, and a little bit of Jesus (if there's time).