FREE story

In November of 2007, a story of mine was published on southernfriedweirdness.com titled ANTIBACTERIAL POPE (I later adapted the title for the name of this blog). I still get emails about this story, one of the first bizarro tales I've written. For all interested parties, here's the link to the tale, still archived on the SFW site:

http://southernfriedweirdness.blogspot.com/2007/11/antibacterial.html

Enjoy.

Bentley's 19th

THE ACADEMY by Bentley Little (2008 Signet / 391 pp. / mass market paperback)

A public high school becomes strangely affected by a new charter program; the principal and her secretary begin to make strict--to ridiculous--rules, and soon have their own "scout" program (members of the student body who act more like the Hitler Youth). Staff members who buy into the new direction of Tyler High begin abusing their students, sexually harrassing them, and making life hell for those who don't get on board. The teachers who do not approve of the new charter program are hassled, fired, and some meet the ultimate fate.

One English teacher (and a few students) manage to go up against whatever it is that's turning their school into a living nightmare, and along the way Little serves up his trademark macabre images, ideas, situations, and this time some very well-done humor that actually makes the story even creepier. Little's use of off-the-wall sexual scenarios ups the shock factor, especially for those not familiar with the author.

Despite a familiar ending (that's nearly identical to past Little novels THE MAILMAN and THE POLICY), THE ACADEMY is a fine entry into the author's "industrial" series of 'regular-day-goes-haywire' titles.

(Post note: I could accept all the strange goings-on in THE ACADEMY just fine, but the protagonist's husband putting off sex in order to watch the end of Bill Maher? Bentley, now you're asking too much of your readers!).

DARK JESTERS submissions in full swing

L.L. Soares and myself have been going through the first week of subs (there's been a healthy batch from new and pro writers) and as with any anthology, our "first round" folder is much smaller than the rejections one.

If you plan on submitting, PLEASE lay off the zombie stories for three main reasons:

1) Novello Publishers already published an entire book titled DEADNECK HOOTENANNY by Mark Justice (which sold out by the way) and feel we should move on to other areas at this time.

2) We have received SO many zomnie tales just in this first week that they're all starting to sound the same. You'll get our attention much better without a zombie story (unless, of course, it's really, really, really, really, really funny and different).

3) We actually are 99.9% sure we'll be accepting one zombie tale (already) submitted as it's hysterical, well written, and quite different.

Keep 'em coming---you have until 11/30/08 to get those subs in. Check http://www,novellopublishers.com for submission info, and PLEASE follow the guidelines.

-Nick