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Funny Little Town
WELCOME TO BUSTAGUT!
Casper’s grandmother was the only one who knew that he could see ghosts. Now, she is dead. With her gone, there is nothing to keep him tied down to his family home in Blue Ridge Appalachia. His hope is to start fresh on the beaches of South Florida, but an unexpected detour interrupts his plans for the Sunshine State.
Bustagut is an eerie little carnival town off the beaten path through the mountains. It is run by a shapeshifting clown with very serious ideas of fun, and who loves to play dangerous games with grieving travelers. If Casper can confront his past as well as his fears, he may stand a chance of escaping. Then again, he might just get lost in the endless tricks and traps of this ‘funny little town’.
SEE YOU SOON!
Casper’s grandmother was the only one who knew that he could see ghosts. Now, she is dead. With her gone, there is nothing to keep him tied down to his family home in Blue Ridge Appalachia. His hope is to start fresh on the beaches of South Florida, but an unexpected detour interrupts his plans for the Sunshine State.
Bustagut is an eerie little carnival town off the beaten path through the mountains. It is run by a shapeshifting clown with very serious ideas of fun, and who loves to play dangerous games with grieving travelers. If Casper can confront his past as well as his fears, he may stand a chance of escaping. Then again, he might just get lost in the endless tricks and traps of this ‘funny little town’.
SEE YOU SOON!
- GenresHorror
Kindle Edition
Published March 26, 2024
2 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Sirius .
27 books50 followersSirius is a lover of glory, gore, and monsters. They are a queer, nonbinary artist living in the hot and bothered South; currently residing in a little spot that has been dubbed ‘Halloweentown’, North Carolina. They are the writer of The Draonir Saga, The Gentlemen Demon Series, and The Dread South Series.
When they are not writing, they work as a professional drag performer, weaving the characters from their stories into visual art for the stage.
When they are not writing, they work as a professional drag performer, weaving the characters from their stories into visual art for the stage.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 9, 2025
I felt Casper's desperation as he runs from grief and trauma while clutching his hard-won identity in bloody hands. Grimy circus gags add a delightful bit of depravity to this unplanned Dread South detour. Who knew balloons could be so...versatile?
July 8, 2024
This is an unusual fever dream of a story!! It's dark, insane, and downright evil. I think this is best read at night with the lights off. It'll give you a darker experience if you do.
It doesn't take long to read. Probably take you a couple hours. Highly recommend for a quick horror fantastic story.
It doesn't take long to read. Probably take you a couple hours. Highly recommend for a quick horror fantastic story.
October 9, 2024
just devoured this novella in one sitting, so fun and freaky and twisted, an absolute fever dream of a book!
April 15, 2024
I will be honest. This is a very short story. After about 20 pages, I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it. Then it got weird, in some of the best ways possible. What a trip. I'm still traumatized by the clown!
March 28, 2024
This was so weird in the best way possible, I absolutely loved it
February 29, 2024
After reading Funny Little Town, I can totally confirm (or should I say “openly admit”) that Sirius is one of those peers that makes me a bit jealous, as a writer. For its brevity, the story sure has a lot to offer.
We follow Capser as he sets out for a new life down south after the death of his grandmother. He soon finds himself stranded in Bustagut, a strange little carnival town that had me wondering about the danger that could possibly be lurking when we look to distraction as our only way to cope with grief.
I was living for the small, simple touches of superstition and lore throughout this story that came in the form of hereditary “gifts” (honestly, why certain sensitivities and abilities are considered gifts is beyond me), wailies, gigglies, and the risky behaviour that is giving out your name past a certain hour. Buttons the Clown was wonderfully eerie and menacing, and. . . I tell you, I’ll never see balloon animals the same way again. It’s amazing how Sirius writes sex scenes that manage to be hot, slightly disturbing, and somehow affirming (yes, I’m saying “affirming”) all at once. Writer sorcery, obviously.
The open ending was absolutely my favourite part of this novella. It’s hopeful, yet still leaves a splinter of dread in your gut. I can only wonder if we might get an update on Casper at some point later on in this series, and I am ridiculously eager to see what other people (and creatures) inhabit the Dread South universe.
Funny Little Town releases March 26th, pre-order your copy today!
I received an ARC and am leaving my review voluntarily.
We follow Capser as he sets out for a new life down south after the death of his grandmother. He soon finds himself stranded in Bustagut, a strange little carnival town that had me wondering about the danger that could possibly be lurking when we look to distraction as our only way to cope with grief.
I was living for the small, simple touches of superstition and lore throughout this story that came in the form of hereditary “gifts” (honestly, why certain sensitivities and abilities are considered gifts is beyond me), wailies, gigglies, and the risky behaviour that is giving out your name past a certain hour. Buttons the Clown was wonderfully eerie and menacing, and. . . I tell you, I’ll never see balloon animals the same way again. It’s amazing how Sirius writes sex scenes that manage to be hot, slightly disturbing, and somehow affirming (yes, I’m saying “affirming”) all at once. Writer sorcery, obviously.
The open ending was absolutely my favourite part of this novella. It’s hopeful, yet still leaves a splinter of dread in your gut. I can only wonder if we might get an update on Casper at some point later on in this series, and I am ridiculously eager to see what other people (and creatures) inhabit the Dread South universe.
Funny Little Town releases March 26th, pre-order your copy today!
I received an ARC and am leaving my review voluntarily.
February 14, 2025
I can't wait for Happy Face to come out after reading this novella.
Funny Little Town follows Casper who, after the death of his grandmother, decides to run away from his small Appalachian town to the sunny palm trees of Florida. Too bad he decides to take a detour for gas and finds himself stranded in the town of Bustagut, where ghosts linger and a shape shifting clown just wants to have a little "fun"
Everything happened so fast! I wanted to see more of Casper's ability to see and speak with ghosts, more of the chaos that is Button's the Clown, so of course now I can't wait for the continuation with the upcoming Happy Face.
Funny Little Town follows Casper who, after the death of his grandmother, decides to run away from his small Appalachian town to the sunny palm trees of Florida. Too bad he decides to take a detour for gas and finds himself stranded in the town of Bustagut, where ghosts linger and a shape shifting clown just wants to have a little "fun"
Everything happened so fast! I wanted to see more of Casper's ability to see and speak with ghosts, more of the chaos that is Button's the Clown, so of course now I can't wait for the continuation with the upcoming Happy Face.
January 13, 2025
Funny Little Town is dark, weird, and creepy in a brilliant way that is uniquely Sirius. Their prose is always incredibly vivid and descriptive yet concise and they’ve delivered again with this installment of the Dread South series. This story gently takes you by the hand and leads you into a false sense of security while a sense of dread whispers in your ear until, before you know it, it’s screaming at you. By the end, I was left feeling disturbed and a bit freaked out but delighted nonetheless.
April 7, 2024
I was asked by the author to provide a blurb for the book.
Which I did. And I was very normal.
I was not, however, normal while I read this fever dream including one of my biggest fears: clowns.
Did I read -the- scene? Yes.
Will I ever recover? I really do not know.
Anyways, 5 stars. I've asked to blurb any other Dread South books.
Which I did. And I was very normal.
I was not, however, normal while I read this fever dream including one of my biggest fears: clowns.
Did I read -the- scene? Yes.
Will I ever recover? I really do not know.
Anyways, 5 stars. I've asked to blurb any other Dread South books.
June 21, 2024
I could not explain this book even if I had a thesaurus & the rest of my life to do so.
It reminded me a lot of the new It movies in the way that everything is oddly bright & loud & happy yet also terrifying as fvck & you know you’re reading things that will imprint themselves on to the folds of your brain for eternity because they’re just so WRONG but you’re having a blast regardless.
10/10 hard recommend this book
It reminded me a lot of the new It movies in the way that everything is oddly bright & loud & happy yet also terrifying as fvck & you know you’re reading things that will imprint themselves on to the folds of your brain for eternity because they’re just so WRONG but you’re having a blast regardless.
10/10 hard recommend this book
September 14, 2024
Campy little horror read perfect for fall! Loveeee casper with my whole heart!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews