The Flora & Fauna of Transgressive, Balls-to-the-Wall Tableaus
The Flora & Fauna of Transgressive, Balls-to-the-Wall Tableaus is author Jeffrey Stoker’s fourth book. Personal and filled to the brim with pathos, it comprises two novellas, both of them struggling-artist-themed, and both of them wholly unpredictable.
The first novella in the rotation, “The Dichotomous Epiphany,” falls squarely under the Psychological Horror subgenre. Set in the early 1990s — Stoker wrote the novella between the years 1995 and 2000; however, due to the S&M overtones inherent in its pages, he sheepishly held off publishing it until 2024 — it centers on Arlene Phillips, an ambitious, unconventional teenager living in a small, hopelessly conventional Utah town.
For years, Arlene has dreamed of nothing more than becoming a world-renowned artist. Unfortunately, most of the drawings and paintings she’s produced thus far in her life have failed to meet her expectations. Now, as the sun begins to set on her high school career, the teen, desperate to prepare herself for college, devises a plan to enhance her visual-composition skills. The rub is that carrying out this plan will come at an incredibly high price. Moreover, there’s no guarantee that the plan will even work.
The second novella in the book, a comedy-drama titled “Port Wine Stain, Animated,” represents Stoker at his sardonic best. Here we follow the exploits of Thad Wakefield, an aspiring writer who’s on the autism spectrum.
Despite the compulsions, tics, and fears that govern Thad’s day-to-day routine, he’s generally a productive, optimistic individual. And why not? He has a beautiful wife who’s supportive to a fault, a pet armadillo that never ceases to amuse him, and a compassionate therapist who’s dedicated to solving as many of his psychological hang-ups as possible. In short, life is good.
Until it isn’t. One day, for reasons far too complicated to go into here, Thad hits a stumbling block in the editing phase of his debut novel. How he chooses to meet this challenge, and the emotionally-draining path this choice ultimately leads him down, is something that even the sharpest of readers won’t see coming.
Iconic Reflections: Adventures in the Land of Staplehorn
Peter Placket dreams of being a hero. Like most heroes, he’s handsome, charismatic, and intelligent. Also he works at a fire station, the perfect venue for showcasing his bravery. There’s just one small problem: he’s made out of paper.
How can Peter be heroic when the fire chief forbids him to get within ten yards of fires?
The answer comes one day when the lower classes revolt against the aristocracy, turning the Apple Kingdom, Peter’s home, into a war zone. Realizing that someone must put an end to the violence, Peter flees to the countryside, searching for an ancient magical object that renders its user all-powerful.
It’s a grand, sweeping journey, during which Peter will find both allies and adversaries, witness bizarre, deadly magic, attempt to cross an uncrossable sea, and visit an island that technically doesn’t exist. Ultimately, the magical object he seeks may do more than end the revolution—it may provide the answer to a mystery as old as time!
Adventures in Bachelorhood
A groundbreaking compendium that brings together three bachelor-struggling-to-make-sense-of-the-modern-singles-scene stories, Adventures in Bachelorhood demonstrates Jeffrey Stoker’s sly sense of humor and uncanny knack for finding the bizarre in everyday situations.
Ranging from desperate virgins to shameless social engineers, from industrial-style coffee houses to lowly one-bedroom apartments, this “literary triptych” showcases a major American talent whose insights into the human psyche are unparalleled.
Slant Rhyme
Following his debut in Metaphor magazine, Jeffrey Stoker delivers a captivating collection of stories that demonstrates his range and versatility as an author. Using rich, eloquent prose, Stoker deftly explores the concepts of greed, faith, and loyalty, as well as the dangers that arise from human desires left unchecked. The result? A work as unsettling as it is unpredictable, as fresh as it is poignant.
This collection introduces a new master of the short story.
Iconic Reflections
Peter Placket dreams of being a hero. Like most heroes, he’s confident, charismatic, and cunning. Also, he works at a fire station, the perfect venue for showcasing his bravery. There’s just one small problem: He’s made out of paper.
How can Peter be heroic when the fire chief forbids him to get within ten yards of fires?
The answer comes one day when the lower classes revolt against the aristocracy, turning the Apple Kingdom, Peter’s home, into a war zone. Realizing that someone must put an end to the violence, Peter flees to the countryside, searching for an ancient magical object that renders its user all-powerful. Only as a sorcerer can Peter return to the Apple Kingdom and conquer the rebel army.
It’s a grand, sweeping journey, during which Peter will find both allies and adversaries, witness bizarre, deadly magic, attempt to cross an uncrossable sea, and visit an island that technically doesn’t exist.
Ultimately, the magical object he seeks may do more than end the revolution — it may provide the answer to a mystery as old as time!