Craig Clevenger

Hey site members; someone recommended Clevenger to me and since I read Dermaphoria and TCH, I have had an endless internal struggle to deal with! Always thought Chuck was the best, hands down, and then Craig Clevenger had to go and completely screw up my simple and straightfoward alligience. Though The Contrtionist Handbook seems to get the most recognition, I highly recommend Dermaphoria. The book is like reading a Picaso explosion of words, a dark poetic roller coaster with amazing one liners to keep you thinking throughout.

I just wish he'd finish Saint Heretic.

They also just released the Dermaphoria audiobook, which Clevenger reads himself; I think you'd really like it. And while you're waiting for Saint Heretic, Mikeal, go check out the Phineas Poe trilogy by Will Christopher Baer.

Thanks guys. The Will Christopher Baer novels started out great with "Kiss Me Judas" but then I kind of lost it when I got to "Hells Half Acre." The book seemed to be a consistent repeat of "and then I did this" so about halway through I put it down.
On a brighter note I am working from home today (I can't believe my boss allowed that) so I am actually putting a list together of the recommended authors on here and going up to Barnes and Noble. Thanks guys.

Mikeal,

We have two short stories from Clevenger, excerpts, from his next novel posted on the site here.

His short story The Number's Game is available in the SF Noir 2 collection. You can listen to it here.

very cool, all of this. just went and filtered for the page and came back to see that meerk has posted a link. i dont even have to cross reference to believe it is the same page haha

mikeal,

a few great reads that chuck has turned my onto over the years, from references in his essays or reading articles or interviews, follows:

jesus' son by denis johnson (arguably my wife's favorite book in the world--it's a toss between into the wild)

mark richard's ice at the bottom of the world and charity

sun also rises and gatsby and the 25th hour was also amazing and another of his favorites is bright lights big city

also, among the more contemporary reads out there, keep an eye out for raw shark texts and the gargoyle, and richard thomas' first novel is being published in a few short months titled transubstantiate (he's been studying graham clev and chuck for years here and has now sold his first book and it's really good)

as for clevenger, a few that he suggested [as personal favorites] during his writing intensive follows:

cormac mccarthy's the road and blood meridian
the book of revelation by rupert thomson
pop 1280 by big jim thompson

one of baer's fav's is sanctuary by falkner
my favorite is probably moby dick (that and hells half acre)
lady mirka's is franny and zooey

my great allegiance to chuck is through the finding of great reads. through him i learned of clev i learned of baer and that branched off into revelation and sanctuary, gibson and later jones. to hempel and through her denis johnson and mark richard, and through them mary robison. steve erickson through clevenger and Fahrenheit 451 through chuck. the list can go on forever if you let it, if you go with it. there are too many great reads out there to pledge allegiance to one author and this post is a very fine grain of salt. have fun on your journey. before i read chuck i was reading star wars novels and aliens vs predator series books, because i just didnt know what was good out there, what would be good for my tastes.. it's been a fun road. you too, man, come along and follow the yellow bricks to oz.

This was 8 hours of fun. From Dermaphoria chapter ten "The Devil is just the Angel who asked for More

awesome. im thinking of getting a dermaphoria tattoo.

Oh my God yes! Will Christopher Baer...I love him so much I BEG my friends to read his books... I have 2 already that love him... I'll turn everyone on to him if I have to buy them his books myself!