Don't Smell the Floss: Amazing Short Stories by Matty Byloos [Paperback]

Matty Byloos (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2009

Like pop songs that have overdosed on camera cleaning fluid and pills, Matty Byloos's short stories are most definitely NOT traditional ideas on the subjects of love, daydreaming, and the psychological dramas that have become an unavoidable part of the human condition. Byloos, at first glance, appears to share too much; but the information is masked, skewed and filtered through a very weird, perverse universe of characters who play out human dramas underneath layers of oddity. Byloos's characters are confused - they're sad, they're searching - but in those emotional states, they're real, easily identifiable people. Byloos takes the reader behind the scenes of lives we might not normally think about (or even want to think about) but which are no less real despite their clandestine nature.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I was kittied to death by these stories. Matty Byloos's fiction doesn't go down smooth, and that's a good thing: his sentences are hot blurts that bust rudely and hilariously into the reader's consciousness. - Andrew Leland, The Believer

Byloos is an amazing writer-a true craftsman of the written word. Stylistically, the book reads like a cross between George Saunders and Chuck Palahniuk; it's fast-moving, occasionally gross, but always smart and funny in a disturbing way. - Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews

Byloos's collection of short stories is shocking ... Byloos' voice is dark and painstakingly omniscient ... - The Portland Mercury

About the Author

Pushcart-nominated fiction writer, internationally recognized fine artist, accomplished musician and former college professor Matty Byloos continues to tour the country in support of his award-winning first collection of short stories, Don't Smell the Floss. He is a frequent contributor to online journals: The Fanzine, We Who Are About to Die and The Nervous Breakdown. He is the publisher and editor of the literary and culture magazine, Smalldoggies.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Write Bloody Publishing (August 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0982148860
• ISBN-13: 978-0982148860
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.4 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,064,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Matty Byloos (1974-) was born in Los Angeles, California, where he grew up. Later, he attended Santa Clara University (BA English 1996) and the Art Center College of Design (MFA Painting 2001). He taught English for five years at East Los Angeles College. His first collection of short stories, Don't Smell the Floss, was published in 2009 by Write Bloody Books and has since been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Byloos is an accomplished painter with a history of exhibiting both nationally and internationally. He is the Publisher and Editor of Smalldoggies Magazine and Press. Byloos contributes to the community lit and humor blog, We Who Are About to Die; the online literary magazine, The Nervous Breakdown; and the online culture magazine, The Fanzine.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bizarrely human July 16, 2009

By A. Drugay

Format:Paperback

Not just short stories, but dark patternings of human behavior, deconstructed and compartmentalized by a twisted mind, neatly organized within each structure according to each character's level of perception and sensitivity. Body-conscious, sympathetic, and strangely sweet tales.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent collections of short stories July 30, 2009

By D. Sparling

Format:Paperback

I simply devoured this book! Matty's ability to make me as a reader quickly emotionally bond with the characters and the situations they find themselves in is unparalleled. I was amazed at how easy it was able to identify with the internal conflict plagued by them. Some of the most memorable moments: the unyielding doubt of the love from his girl felt by the man covered in hair; the cameraman's sympathetic (and perhaps pathetic?) attempt at a relationship with the pornstar (mirrored by her forced-detachment from the situation she's in! I love it!); the man who spoke to the skunk was one of my favorites - something in that story rang true with some experiences in my past. Matty's exploration of the myriad of layers of personal connections combined with catch-you-off-guard humor was awesome. Great job!

5.0 out of 5 stars compost August 1, 2011

By friendlyabe

Format:Paperback

Great stories. They feel as if they sprung, like some radiant lillies, from the rotting compost of a truly depraved mind.