Transgressive fiction authors write stories some are afraid to tell. Stories with taboo subjects, unique voices, shocking images—nothing safe or dry. Burnt Tongues is a collection of transgressive stories selected by a rigorous nomination and vetting process and hand-selected by Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club, as the best of The Cult workshop, his official fan website. These stories run the gamut from horrific and fantastic to humorous and touching, but each leaves a lasting impression. Some may say even a scar. Also includes: The Power of Persisting: An Introduction by Chuck Palahniuk, and from the Editors: The Genesis of Burnt Tongues by Dennis Widmyer and Richard Thomas. Table of Contents: Live This Down by Neil Krolicki Charlie by Chris Lewis Carter Paper by Gayle Towell Mating Calls by Tony Liebhard Melody by Michael De Vito, Jr. F for Fake by Tyler Jones Mind and Soldier by Phil Jourdan Ingredients by Richard Lemmer The Line Forms on the Right by Amanda Gowin A Vodka Kind of Girl by Matt Egan Gasoline by Fred Venturini Dietary by Brandon Tietz Invisible Graffiti by Adam Skorupskas Bike by Bryan Howie Heavier Petting by Brien Piechos Engines, O-Rings, and Astronauts by Jason M. Fylan Lemming by Terence James Eeles The Routine by Keith Buie Survived by Gus Moreno Zombie Whorehouse by Daniel W. Broallt
Authors
Written in stolen moments under truck chassis and on park benches to a soundtrack of The Downward Spiral and Pablo Honey, Fight Club came into existence. The adaptation of Fight Club was a flop at the box office, but achieved cult status on DVD. The film’s popularity drove sales of the novel. Chuck put out two novels in 1999, Survivor and Invisible Monsters. Choke, published in 2001, became Chuck’s first New York Times bestseller. Chuck’s work has always been infused with personal experience, and his next novel, Lullaby, was no exception. Chuck credits writing Lullaby with helping him cope with the tragic death of his father. Diary and the non-fiction guide to Portland, Fugitives and Refugees, were released in 2003. While on the road in support of Diary, Chuck began reading a short story entitled 'Guts,' which would eventually become part of the novel Haunted. In the years that followed, he continued to write, publishing the bestselling Rant, Snuff, Pygmy, Tell-All, a 'remix' of Invisible Monsters, Damned, and most recently, Doomed. Chuck also enjoys giving back to his fans, and teaching the art of storytelling has been an important part of that. In 2004, Chuck began submitting essays to ChuckPalahniuk.net on the craft of writing. These were 'How To' pieces, straight out of Chuck's personal bag of tricks, based on the tenants of minimalism he learned from Tom Spanbauer. Every month, a “Homework Assignment” would accompany the lesson, so Workshop members could apply what they had learned. (all 36 of these essays can currently be found on The Cult's sister-site, LitReactor.com). Then, in 2009, Chuck increased his involvement by committing to read and review a selection of fan-written stories each month. The best stories are currently set to be published in Burnt Tongues, a forthcoming anthology, with an introduction written by Chuck himself. His next novel, Beautiful You, is due out in October 2014.
Tyler Jones is the author of CRITERIUM, THE DARK SIDE OF THE ROOM, ALMOST RUTH, BURN THE PLANS, HEAVY OCEANS (December 2023), and MIDAS (coming Halloween 2023 from Earthling Publications). His work has appeared in the anthologies BURNT TONGUES (edited by Chuck Palahniuk), ONE THING WAS CERTAIN, 101 PROOF HORROR, CAMPFIRE MACABRE, PARANORMAL CONTACT and in Dark Moon Digest, Coffin Bell, Aphotic Realm, Cemetery Dance, LitReactor, and The NoSleep Podcast. He lives in Portland, Oregon. He is represented by Elizabeth Copps at Copps Literary Agency.
