Freakshow Summer

In 1930s America a young teen struggles to find his calling among his carnival family of human curiosities while outsiders try to destroy everything he loves. Among the freaks and misfits of Oliver Neil’s Marvelous Carnival, thirteen-year-old Manny Dobra longs to find his place. Orphaned as a baby he’s been raised by the bearded woman, the alligator man, and the Leprechaun Family. Manny is a skilled artist, but he lives in the shadow of his deceased father’s own talent. A new summer of promise is soon spoiled by the arrival of Ron the bully and the Oldies--the Order of the Lions’ Den--hellbent on wiping out all carnivals. Manny realizes that what he finds lovely and ordinary is considered grotesque and abominable to the outside world. With the help of his friends Nickel, Margot, and Penny, Manny begins to traverse the tricky road of life, finding his footing in a world of human curiosities, both the beautiful and the ugly.

Anthony Bartley has been fascinated by the weird and unusual since he was a three-year-old listening to his grandmother tell tales of monsters, ghosts, and carnival sideshows. In those formative years, he had a crush on the Bride of Frankenstein, wanted to be the Wolfman, and thought the Blob looked delicious. He since went on to have stories published in Macabre, AlienSkin, Dark Krypt, Kings of the Night, Hauntings, and Into the West anthologies. Anthony teaches 8th grade American History in New Mexico. You can follow him on twitter @TonyinNM or visit his website at anthonybartley.com.

Ian Bristow is an illustrator, musician, and author who’s work has been featured on dozens of books across multiple genres. He lives in Washington state.