What’s going on in Bizarro, how do I get free stuff, and how do I get involved?

The most exciting news for me right now is that Joseph Wargo, a true Bizarro, recently hitchhiked to Forest Lawn to read the last chapter of Bucket of Face outside the window of Michael Jackson’s crypt. I wish I could have been there.  If you’ve read the book, this makes a lot of sense. If not, this takes some explaining. See, one of the main characters of my book is a hitman who is a massive Michael Jackson fan, so much so that he dresses up like MJ when he goes out on hits and dances to his songs while killing people. The final chapter is set in Forest Lawn Cemetary, MJ’s final resting place. You can read excerpts on GoogleBooks and Amazon. Check out Wargo’s blog. He has a perspective on most things that you’ve probably never considered.

The next most exciting thing is that Garrett Cook’s long-awaited Jimmy Plush has finally come out. For two years, this book was the Duke Nukem Forever of Bizarro literature. If I hadn’t seen excerpts of the book, I would have assumed it was vaporware. Now it’s out. Together with Squidpulp Blues and Bucket of Face, it makes up the Bizarro noir trifecta. A couple days ago, the three of us sat down to discuss crime. The transcript of that roundtable discussion will soon be released on the new Bizarro Central site, which is now the place for all Bizarro lit news and other assorted weirdness.   

Next up, the blog I Read Odd Books will, from 6/27 to 7/1, be featuring five Bizarro authors, including me. Anyone who comments on any of the reviews will be entered into a drawing to win all five books. If you comment on all five reviews, you have five chances to win.

I now have a Bucket of Face page on Facebook. I also have a bunch of BoF swag–tee shirts, notebooks, posters, etc.– so once I hit 100 likes, I’ll start weekly drawings. Everyone who liked the page is already entered. I pay postage and handling.

So I’ve covered what’s going on and how to get free stuff. The next question is how to get involved. The obvious answer on how to get involved is to read Bizarro books. You read the books, you review the books you like, and you spread the word. You get to know the authors on FB or Goodreads. This has always been a very fan-friendly genre. If you have a favorite author living near you, he or she will probably meet you for a beer because, well, we like fans and beer. Well, now there’s a way to get something back for what you put into the Bizarro community. By joining the Bizarro Brigade, you earn points for your involvement in the genre, which add up to rank and free books. Even entering as a private, you get a free ebook to review. If you have already reviewed a number of Bizarro books, you can enter as a SGT or LT.  You could always get to know the authors just by asking, but with this program, you can get involved in the publishing process. It should be a lot of fun.

Spread the word. Spread the weird.

And, sorry, I have to include this: