First, there was ANTISOCIAL, a fine poetry chapbook by the equally fine David Blaine. Next up, Caleb J Ross’s CHARACTERED PIECES: STORIES.  Now available for preorder! Only $7.

Comprised of 8 stories and a bit of blood, CHARACTERED PIECES is “a multifarious patchwork of despair” (Daniel Casebeer, editor of Pear Noir!), and is the first bound collection from fiction writer, OWC editor, cigar enjoyer, beer imbiber, and general apathetic acceptor of life, Caleb J Ross.

Want more praise?:

“These stories change you, and not just a little bit. Try to forget them, tell yourself they’re not true, but it’s no use. Whether you want them to or not, they’re going with you.”(Stephen Graham Jones, author of Demon Theory [MacAdam/Cage] and Ledfeather [FC2])

“Ross claims that his characters are not drawn from real people and yet these stories—about a jewelry saleswoman with a fetal leg growing out of her belly, a man who drinks the blood of a dead camel, or a budding Holocaust documentarian who dies in a mysterious incident involving a coat hanger—sound eerily similar to my own life. Chances are you’ll find yourself in here, too. Wicked, weird, and wonderful.” (Tim Hall, author of How America Died [Undie Press])

Preordering will not only get you the book, but will also include:

• A (very) personal inscription. Note the specific name you would like the inscription made out to in the PayPal comments area. Also, note Caleb’s use of the word “very;” We warn you: you may be disturbed by what he writes. If you would rather a flat-signed, or “clean” copy, note that in the PayPal comments area as well.
• A picture of Caleb signing the book (so there are no Antiques Roadshow conflicts 90 years from now)
• As part of the made up LUNGS FOR READERS program, each preorder will smell of delicious ACID cigars. Trust us, even if you don’t like cigars, you’d love the smell of ACIDs. Imagine if cinnamon and Italian food had a veal baby.
• Whatever other fun stuff Caleb can find to stuff between the book’s pages

PREORDER NOW! Charactered Pieces will be available to ship on November 16th.

Here’s a taste:

One of the true delights of this rich volume is the unexpected. David’s originality, insights, raw talent and puckish wit combine to making this book a must-read.

You want to experience that same elation? Pre Order a copy of Antisocial now. Your status as a cool literatuér diminishes proportionally to the number of days you wait to order a copy. Hurry, before you become Spencer Pratt.