the fictitious press

A collection of Richard Holeton's award-winning short fiction (etc.) published in literary journals including Cimarron Review, Mississippi Review, Indiana Review, Notre Dame Review, ZYZZYVA, and many more.

A private equity takeover of a Velcro-themed roadside attraction creates a literal firestorm. A cryptic, anagrammatic poem inspires a series of fanciful interpretations leading to a murder mystery. A teenage girl is caught in a tangle of branded commercial products and a friend's suicide threat. A father wrestles with his daughter's strange illness, his own addiction to 3D porn, and his deceased wife's Embodied Conversational Interface Agent. A criminal rape trial is reported through quotes from famous writers, and a prose poem about an abused woman is carved from the redacted script of Beckett's Waiting for Godot.

This breakout collection from the author of cult classic postmodern novel Figurski at Findhorn on Acid stretches the conventional bounds of short fiction with edgy humor, colorful characters, and ingenious formal experimentation. Twenty-four eclectic short fictions are complemented by six unique poems, including computer-generated sonnets and a slideshow presentation. Step Away from the Pizza showcases the imagination that made critics rave about Figurski and will leave you wishing for more.

A sampling of unsolicited reviews:

"Daring, irreverent, and wildly inventive"

"Dynamic reading experience marked by sharp wit, intellectual depth, and a playful approach to language . . . "

"High-voltage collision of satire, intellect, and absurdity"

"An extraordinary celebration of storytelling"

"A literary circus with fangs"

"A masterclass in literary creativity"

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