Bizarro fiction

Bizarro fiction is a contemporary literary genre noted for its focus on "high weirdness." The term was appropriated from popular culture in 2005 by the independent publishing companies Eraserhead Press, Raw Dog Screaming Press, and Afterbirth Books in response to the rising demand for unique and outlandish fiction. In the introduction to "The Bizarro Starter Kit", Bizarro is described as "literature's equivalent to the cult section at the video store" and a genre that "strives not only to be strange, but fascinating, thought-provoking, and, above all, fun to read." ["The Bizarro Starter Kit." Bizarro Books, 2006. p.5] According to Rose O'Keefe of Eraserhead Press: "Basically, if an audience enjoys a book or film primarily because of its weirdness, then it is Bizarro. Weirdness might not be the work's only appealing quality, but it is the major one."

While works of Bizarro may have literary merit, the primary focus of the genre is to entertain. In this respect, Bizarro has more in common with speculative fiction genres (such as science-fiction, fantasy, and horror) than with the postmodern literary movements (such as surrealism, absurdism, and beat), with which it is commonly associated.

In an interview, Tom Bradley has said:

Major authors

References

External links

* [http://www.bizarrocentral.com Bizarro Central]

Publishers

* [http://www.afterbirthbooks.com Afterbirth Books]
* [http://www.eraserheadpress.com Eraserhead Press]
* [http://www.rawdogscreaming.com Raw Dog Screaming Press]

Publications

* [http://www.dreampeople.org The Dream People]
* [http://www.absurdistjournal.com Bust Down the Door and Eat All the Chickens]
* [http://www.theswallowstail.tk The Swallow's Tail]