Lockdown Laureate

by O.F. Cieri

A 22 tale collection,
with 22 illustrations by Soren Häxan.

Dark, introspective, grimy, urban, strange.

“Like a puddle of blood in a back alley of New York City that whispers to you of what could have been via a static-slathered Bluetooth connection…”

180 pages, Paperback

First published February 15, 2023

About the author

O F Cieri is a historian and pulp novelist. She won first place in BMCC's 2013 Poetry Competition and an Honourable Mention in LaborArts Make Work Visible 2016 Competition. Her work has appeared in Hyperallergic and the LA Review of Books. She is the author of Lord of Thundertown, Lockdown Laureate and Backmask. Find more of her work on ofcieri.com

Reviews

[Donald Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve at least narrowed it down to 2. My favorite line is either: “…but how many of you have felt connected to the divine while drunk?” or “…but when there are scientific names for the byproducts of human activity it feels like we are a force of nature.” And that’s just a taste. These 22 short pieces will take you everywhere from urban grittiness to the grittiness within. Cieri summons from a most unusual year 22 short pieces from “The Bad Touch” to bring you in, to “Suicide Pact” to sneak out in the morning, to “Junkie” that leaves you begging for more.

[Michael Tichy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A brilliant, soul searing collection. At turns humorous but with razor sharp prose that rings with hard learned truth and with beauty. There are lines that will cut a hole right through you and leave you breathless. O F is one to watch.