AUTHOR OF ALL ILL by charlie perseus

About the author: Charlie Perseus (he/they) writes gothic-influenced fictions and gloomy poetry— when he isn’t busy studying or editing warning lines literary. He wrote PLACES (Gutslut Press), and AUTHOR OF ALL ILL (fifth wheel press), and has been featured in the NoSleep Podcast, the HELL IS REAL Anthology, and others. His work is often connected to transness, disability, and alterity as they relate to monstrosity and revolution. Find him on twitter @beelzebadger.

"AUTHOR OF ALL ILL is a tight, haunting collection that examines identity, specifically queer and trans identity, within the framework of religion. Perseus plays with duality throughout the book, starting with the first piece, "abstract", where the first duality of the abstract/the concrete is introduced. From there, he masterfully utilises bilingual aspects, allusions, references, and form to give a layered experience of the Othered experience. Perseus brings the abstract concept of identity and transformation into the corporeal realm in a riveting conversation with god, not as an inferior but as a peer. The extended metaphor of Satan and opposition to god is artfully woven throughout the piece, with each one giving a new layer to the interplay between the original I/Other. Though he brings us through a gritty, painful journey of identity and growth, Perseus's language is beautiful and carries you through the experience of being Other-Than, in more ways than one. This book is one to read over and over, to relish the uncovering of new layers, meanings, and intimate details so craftfully integrated into the narrative. This work will leave you raw, and then demand that you do it again. This is a beautiful collection from a skilled poet who refuses to be silenced by the institutions that would try to."  —Perry Gasteiger, author of Meditations for the Dead and Dying, co-creator of Bruising Bone: life in bloom