TOUCHING THE MONKEY 2's back cover copy

For those conditioned to divide their fiction into categories, TTM2's got True crime, fantasy, dramedy, sci-fi, spec-lit, Brit-lit, chick-lit, not to mention clit-lit, as well as the exciting new genre of robot book review! But tqr is not about marketing ploys designed to sell you on some contrived concept of hyphenated lit. No, never! The only criterion over here is does it reach the guarded place inside you where the wild thing lies? In tqr-speak it's the oft-asked question, 'Does it touch the monkey?' Well ... not only does TTM2 touch it, it awakens it to the point where it's glaring back at you from the confines of its cage with a look that says, "Oh how I'd love to tear open your ribcage and rip your lungs out!" The only thing you should wonder is, "How strong are those bars?"

2TM2's ToC, Lalo love and gratitude to Ellen

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

THE MESSENGER by Bob Thurber

YEAR OF OUR LORD’S FAVOR by Mark Rapacz

RADIATION by Shirley Kwan

A CROCODILE NEVER CRIES by Luke Evans

AIMS & OBJECTIVES OF THE AMERICAN CRIBBAGE CONGRESS by Chris Miller

JULIAN’S CRUNCHY APOTHEOSIS by Michael Andreoni

DARK ABYSS by Ann Leckie

BOLIGARD’S BOOK REVIEW compiled by J. Slavens

CALLIE COVEN MEETS THE DEADLINE OF DOOM by John Owens

THE INVISIBLE MACHINE by Mithran Somasundrum

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This book is dedicated to Lalo Fox, without whose expertly-calibrated sense of the goodstuff the superlative composition of this anthology would not exist. Boli says you’ve been drinking red wine after-hours with the specter of Bukowski’s ghost. All I can say is,"Brother, this one's for you." I love you, we miss you and wish you many happy returns.

**Caged Monkey cover art by Ellen Parker