| Author | Message | ||
     David_lees (David_lees) Username: David_lees Registered: 12-2011 Posted From: 92.22.33.83 |
Well, this is new to me. Is anyone familiar with this stuff? http://bizarrocentral.com/about-bizarro/ It seems to be by and for people who needed a bit more bats**t crazy in their weird fiction. | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
Yep. I came across those guys a while ago. A particular favourite of mine is Jeremy C. Shipp - try his novel "Vacation" or his collection "Sheep and Wolves". I think he's had more collections published since that one but I haven't got those yet. Some of the "bizarro" stuff I've read seems a bit pretentious and nonsensical, but some is excellent. Shipp has to be the best though imo.  | ||
| Jonathan (Jonathan) Username: Jonathan Registered: 03-2008 Posted From: 91.143.178.131 |
Yeah, this has been going for a while. Mike Philbin (aka Hertzan Chimera) has been writing bizarro fiction for ages. Really not my cup of tea and seems to be mostly stream of consciousness nonsense or deliberately 'controversial' nastiness or porn. But, horses for courses and all that... | ||
| Des (Des) Username: Des Registered: 09-2010 Posted From: 86.158.58.16 |
I had a story in this John Skipp edited Bizarro magazine a few months ago: http://www.amazon.com/Magazine-Bizarro-Fiction-Issue-Four/dp/1936383349/ | ||
| Carolinec (Carolinec) Username: Carolinec Registered: 06-2009 Posted From: 92.232.199.129 |
" ..seems to be mostly stream of consciousness nonsense or deliberately 'controversial' nastiness or porn." That's the funny thing. When I first came across Bizarro Central, it wasn't deliberate nastiness or porn. It *was* stream of consciousness writing, which it still is. Somehow, that nastiness/porn thingy seems to have crept in. I don't go for that at all. The writer I mentioned above, Jeremy Shipp, doesn't go for that either. Although his writing is "stream of consciousness", it also often "says" something. For example, he is very eco-friendly and often explores that theme in his stories - in a very "thinking outside the box" kind of way. In a way I'd say that Des' writing is very similar to this type of bizarro fiction - hence your inclusion in the magazine, Des! Another writer who, I feel, does this nicely is a self-published author I've mentioned here a few times - Tim Jeffreys. Yes, I love that kind of writing - but not the nasty/porn/makes no sense kind of stuff. | ||
| Stephen Theaker (Stephen_theaker) Username: Stephen_theaker Registered: 12-2009 Posted From: 77.98.13.43 |
I've enjoyed some bizarro stuff by D. Harlan Wilson and Steve Redwood. I reckon at some point an already-famous novelist or film-maker is going to tap into the genre and it'll suddenly be all the rage. Some Japanese films would fit neatly within the category, I think - things like Vampire Girl vs Frankenstein Girl. | ||
| David_lees (David_lees) Username: David_lees Registered: 12-2011 Posted From: 92.22.33.83 |
Interesting stuff. I get the impression that with a lot of them the synopses are probably more entertaining than the actual novels. I might try some of the mentioned authors if I get a chance though. | ||
| Matthew Fryer (Matthew_fryer) Username: Matthew_fryer Registered: 08-2009 Posted From: 90.200.140.60 |
I like Carlton Mellick III's stuff. As well as the outrageous concepts and settings, there's plenty of strong characterisation and dialogue, and sprinkles of satire and politics. His novels are usually quite short, with succinct chapters and an uncluttered prose, making them very readable. "The Cannibals of Candyland" and "Apeshit" spring immediately to mind. Although be warned that the latter is incredibly lurid and gruesome. But very good. |