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I guess that minor in English was a good decision.

 

BOOKS

Two Gentlemen of Lebowski:
A Most Excellent Comedie and Tragical Romance

Simon & Schuster——(pop culture humor, October 2010)

What if… William Shakespeare wrote The Big Lebowski?

"A blast to read." — GQ
"Oh my God. This is so good." — The New Republic
"Laugh-out-loud funny." — The Folger Shakespeare Library
"Hysterical." — The Royal Shakespeare Company
"The best book I read this year." — Creative Loafing Tampa

Web site | Buy on Amazon

 

 

SPRAWLING INTERNET PROJECTS

Overthinking Ghostbusters
"No-one has EVER thought more about Ghostbusters than this man… amazing." — Caitlin Moran
"A great in-depth look at every aspect of Ghostbusters." — io9

Web site

The Chopped-Off Hands of Star Wars
"Sure to make drooling, gore-thirsty Star Wars fanboys everywhere crap their pants laughing." — IGN
Web site

 

 

SHORT NON-FICTION

"Blurbs Beyond Books"
Points in Case——(humor, September 2024)
"Fantastic." — Gail Gauthier, author of The Hero of Ticonderoga

"We Just Can't Find Enough Boys to Do the Broadway Play"
McSweeney's Internet Tendency——(humor, July 2024)

"Newspapers, According to Their Titles"
Points in Case——(humor, February 2024)

"Eight Bits Against Eight Colors:
Super Mario Bros., Dick Tracy and the Almost Unreal"

The Super Mario Bros. Movie Archive——(essay, June 2019)

"Villanelles by the Village People"
The Higgs Weldon——(poetry / humor, November 2016)

"Ghostbusters" [National Film Registry]
The Library of Congress——(film review, July 2016)

"Skip the $4 Latte! And 9 More Personal Finance Tips"
Splitsider——(humor, December 2015)

"Sink or Swim"
Citrus Detritus——(personal essay, October 2015)

"What Your Favorite Color Says About You"
Defenestration——(humor, September 2015)

"Grandma Britney"
Hobo Pancakes——(poetry, March 2015)

"Son, this 'Monopoly' Investment Scheme is No Substitute for a Steady Job"
Splitsider——(humor, December 2014)

"Alternate Forms for Shakespeare's Sonnet 18"
The Morning News——(poetry / humor, October 2014)
"Recommended reading." — The Millions

"Clickbait Pornography"
The Higgs Weldon——(humor, August 2014)

"A Filmmaker's Take On the Best Book on Film Editing"
Off the Shelf——(book review, July 2014)

"A Memoir That Turns Tragedy Into Poetry"
Off the Shelf——(book review, June 2014)

"The Piercing Wit of Oscar Wilde, the Satirical Fearlessness
of Jonathan Swift, and the Cheer of Grumpy Cat"

Off the Shelf——(book review, April 2014)

"Selections from the Stay Puft Marshmallows Corporate Twitter"
The Toast——(humor, March 2014)

"Suit the Word to the Action:
Language, Lebowski and Literal Connections"
(essay, November 2013)

An essay on the language in the film The Big Lebowski,
appearing in the book Lebowski 101.

My piece runs first, so you can actually read it for free
in the Kindle preview on Amazon.

Buy on Amazon

"Pawn Promotion:
Art, Computer Chess, and Life After Thirty"

The Junior Varsity——(essay, October 2013)

"Star Trek Vs. Star Wars:
Fans Weigh In on the Timeless Debate"

The Guardian——(essay, May 2013)
The typo in this essay was added by the editor, I swear. Insert 'Grauniad' joke here.

"Please RT:
Two Years and Change of Social Mediocrity"
(humor, January 2013)

Tweets from the sublime to the ridiculous, but mostly ridiculous.

Read for free | Download PDF for free | Buy on Kindle for $0.99

"Man or Muppet?"
Ain't-It-Cool-News——(essay, March 2012)
One of three winners of a contest
asking readers to respond to a song in the film.

"Twenty-Four Hours to Twelfth Night:
One Bardolator's Sleepless Saga of Shakespeare in the Park,
the Meaning of Life and Anne Hathaway's Second-Best Bed"
(essay, January 2012)

High culture, low sleep and Anne Hathaway.

Read for free | Download PDF for free | Buy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Modest Case for Ben Affleck
as Unwitting Chronicler of Millennium's End"

The Junior Varsity——(article, July 2011)

"The Continuing Mystique of the Pink Cadillac"
Rods & Wheels——(article, September 2006)


 

 

SHORT STORIES

"The "I Want" Song"
(new adult fiction, June 2024)

The struggles of art, creation and a doomed student musical.

"Witty prose and relatable characters."
— A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Brydenhammer"
(young adult fiction, October 2023)

One night, two movies, three friends and no idea what's next.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"I'll Never Forget You"
(literary fiction, May 2023)

Dealing with death at sixteen sucks.

"Maybe this will be too emotionally trying for some people to read."
— A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Hundred Other Rileys"
(new adult literary fiction, October 2022)

Riley's taking stock of her life. The other Rileys are taking stock photos.

"Mind-bending… Inventive and original." — A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Samantha, 25, on October 31"
(new adult fiction, October 2021)

Be scareful what you witch for.

"Has the power to say things I always thought, but never could articulate, even to myself." — A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Wordsworth, Wilde and Wizards"
(new adult pop culture comedy, December 2020)

Meet the new English teacher at a magical school.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Indoor Cat (Selected Observations on
Human Being Love Under Quarantine)"
(romantic literary fiction, May 2020)

Love in the age of coronavirus, as told by a cat.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Your Move"
(young adult fiction, February 2020)

An oral history of rivalry, envy and art at a high school chess club.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"The Gossamer Girls Go for Glory"
(young adult fiction, December 2019)

A Rust Belt a cappella group gets their big chance.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Laura & Maura"
(young adult literary fiction, June 2019)

Two cousins are in for one crazy night right before the SAT.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Bandit Beloved"
(romantic literary fiction, August 2018)

She's the perfect woman. Except when she's a raccoon.

"Enthralling writing… natural and well-executed"
— Pressit Literary

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Crappy Valentine’s Day"
(romantic comedy, February 2018)

A not-that-romantic comedy of errors.

"This feels like a visit from an old friend."
— A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"Ex Marks the Spot"
(young adult romantic comedy, October 2017)

Halloween's a scary night for a bad breakup coming back to haunt you.

"Captures the warm nostalgia of Halloween in an unapologetically fond way."
— A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Confessions of an Off-Brand Princess"
(new adult fiction, June 2017)

Cinderella retold with a birthday party rent-a-princess.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Caitlin Among the Beasts"
(new adult fiction, November 2016)

A comedy about finding grace and other things that get away.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Dark Discord of Ravensbane and Kim"
(new adult literary fiction, November 2015)

The scariest thing is being outgrown.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Girl from Ventnor Avenue"
(new adult romantic comedy, October 2014)

Normal people don't have a monopoly on love.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"For My Next Trick…"
(new adult romantic comedy, June 2014)

A conjurer's crush feels like magic.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"The Snow Queen of Somerville High"
(young adult romantic comedy, December 2013)

She loves winter, sledding, snow and the cute new guy at school.

"Bertocci has a gift for taking a simple, even mundane concept, and infusing [it] with interesting philosophy and cleverly constructed wordplay."
— A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"Second Thoughts About the Fourth Dimension"
(literary fiction, May 2013)

A bride-to-be wonders if the timing is right.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"Watching Wonderful"
(pop culture literary fiction, December 2012)

Strangers bond over a Christmas classic on TV.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"Veronica's Vengeance"
(young adult dark comedy, November 2012)

Revenge, ambition, intrigue, fear and other teenage girl stuff.

"About as pitch-black a black comedy as you can get… hilarious."
— The Library Police

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Usual Werewolves"
(young adult romantic comedy, October 2012)

Paranormal romance bites.

"It's funny and adorable and I cannot believe how much I liked it."
— MotherEffingBooks

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"The Land of Rock"
(literary fiction, September 2012)

Little sisters grow up so quickly.

(Includes bonus essay about the creation of the story.)

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"Kaylee and Breck and the Very Worst Songs of the '90s"
(pop culture comedy, August 2012)

A relationship autopsy, with help from preposterous music.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"Talking to Xyr"
(literary fiction, July 2012)

The woman he loves announces that she isn't a woman.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"In the Days in Between"
(young adult literary fiction, June 2012)

Best friends face the summer between high school and the rest of their lives.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Noble Court of Princess Kelseypants"
(young adult literary fiction, May 2012)

A '90s prom through the eyes of a girl whose mind is a little bit different.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

"Chicken Crossing"
(dark comedy, April 2012)

Why did the chicken cross the road?

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"Kiss Me, I'm Iris"
(young adult romantic comedy, March 2012)

Luck is in the air for the girl who won't wear green.

"I really liked Iris. She reminds me of me, when I was that age."
— A Ruined Chapel by Moonlight

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Clinch Cover"
(romantic comedy, February 2012)

A romance novel cover designer finds love.

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $0.99

"The Fairfield County Friday Night Gridiron Bonanza"
(literary horror, February 2012)

A beautiful cheerleader, a small-town tragedy and a terrible secret.

"It's a really great piece of work." — The Library Police

Read a free sampleBuy on Kindle for $1.99

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 

 

PLAYS

Miranda from Stormville
(full-length drama; premiered March 2019)
"Compassionate, funny, and invigorating." — Culture Catch
"Wonderful character-focused work… an ambitious concept… poignant." — Theater in the Now
"Manages to capture the spirit of Shakespeare's original play… a great show." — OnStage Blog

Web site

Two Gentlemen of Lebowski
(full-length comedy; premiered March 2010)
"Critic's Pick" — Back Stage
"Arguably one of the most inventive pieces ever created." — Broadway World
"Thoroughly engaging… gasping-for-air hilarious." — Theater Online

Web site

 

I am represented in the publishing field by Lindsay Edgecombe
of the Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency.

I do not have representation as a playwright.