Bad clowns—those malicious misfits of the midway who terrorize, haunt, and threaten us—have long been a cultural icon. This book describes the history of bad clowns, why clowns go bad, and why many people fear them. Going beyond familiar clowns such as the Joker, Krusty, John Wayne Gacy, and Stephen King’s Pennywise, it also features bizarre, lesser-known stories of weird clown antics including Bozo obscenity, Ronald McDonald haters, killer clowns, phantom-clown abductors, evil-clown panics, sex clowns, carnival clowns, troll clowns, and much more. Bad Clowns blends humor, investigation, and scholarship to reveal what is behind the clown’s dark smile.

Informative, artful, and fun, When Good Kids Go Bad: Effective Solutions for Problem Behaviors takes readers inside the minds of our troubled kids and teens. Whether they are mildly irritating or well out of control, readers will leave armed with a broad range of proven techniques to curb negative behaviors and encourage positive ones. Therapists, parents, teachers, and all professionals interacting with these kids will have their questions answered and be given clear instructions on how to begin the road to behavioral and emotional change. Interventions are detailed for use in the home, the classroom, and/or the therapy office so that all adults can begin to march in stride and provide the structure needed to facilitate maximum growth. From the diagnostic process to medication interventions, no stone is left unturned.

A short history of the earliest clowns -- The despicable rogue Mr. Punch -- The unnatural nature of the evil clown -- Coulrophobia: Fear of clowns -- Bad clowns of the Ink -- Bad clowns of the Screen -- Bad clowns of the Song -- The carnal carnival: Buffoon boffing and clown sex -- Creepy, criminal, and killer clowns -- Activist clowns -- Crazed caged carny clowns -- The phantom clowns -- Troll clowns and the future of bad clowns

Provides information on such topics as: designing costumes and makeup, preparing a routine, performing stunts, and interacting with the audience.

A gorgeously rendered graphic novel of Daniel Alarcón’s story City of Clowns. From the author of The King Is Always Above the People, which was longlisted for the 2017 National Book Award for Fiction. Oscar “Chino” Uribe is a young Peruvian journalist for a local tabloid paper. After the recent death of his philandering father, he must confront the idea of his father’s other family, and how much of his own identity has been shaped by his father’s murky morals. At the same time, he begins to chronicle the life of street clowns, sad characters who populate the violent and corrupt city streets of Lima, and is drawn into their haunting, fantastical world. This remarkably affecting story by Daniel Alarcón was included in his acclaimed first book, War by Candlelight, and now, in collaboration with artist Sheila Alvarado, it takes on a new, thrilling form. This graphic novel, with its short punches of action and images, its stark contrasts between light and dark, truth and fiction, perfectly corresponds to the tone of Chino’s story. With the city of Lima as a character, and the bold visual language from the story, City of Clowns is moving, menacing, and brilliantly vivid.

For readers of Kathleen Norris and Gretchen Rubin, a thought-provoking examination of the meaning of comfort. Comfort is a universal human need. It's that craving to feel at one with the world we live in, warm (but not hot), protected (but not smothered), and secure (but not marooned) in what the future holds. Yet in our increasingly complex and overstressed world, we tend to overlook this important aspect in our lives. In Comfort: An Atlas for the Body and Soul, Brett C. Hoover, a scholar and Catholic priest, explores what comfort means-and it means different things to different people. He delves into the psychological, emotional, and spiritual facets of comfort and offers ways to rediscover it. With insight and humor, Hoover writes about the advantages and the pitfalls of seeking-and finding-comfort as he guides us towards the goal we should strive for: to find comfort in our own lives as we offer comfort to others. By turns lyrical and thought-provoking, funny and poignant, Comfort is full of engaging and unexpected insights in our very human search for personal fulfillment.

In his debut short fiction collection, A Scholar of Pain, Grant Jerkins remains—as the Washington Post put it—“Determined to peer into the darkness and tell us exactly what he sees.” Here, the depth of that darkness is on evident, oftentimes poetic, display. We meet, and come reluctantly to sympathize with: The office chair-sniffer who only wants to be loved, a bottomed-out cough-syrup addict, a terminally ill school bus driver who takes her young riders on a drunken suicide run, and a cheated-on housewife who discovers her husband’s other woman isn’t a woman at all, but a…No spoilers here. Just read it. Read all sixteen of these deviant diversions. Peer into the darkness. Praise for A SCHOLAR OF PAIN: “A Scholar of Pain hits that literary sweet spot: Could be crime fiction, might be southern gothic—or even horror. The stories are funny as hell, too. And compassionate. In fact, Jerkins’ voice is amongst the most compassionate I’ve heard, because he extends it to some hideous wretches in a way that underscores the humanity I share with them. I heartily recommend Grant Jerkins.” —Jedidiah Ayers, author of Peckerwood and Fierce Bitches “Sophisticated. Elegant. Sleek and demolishing.” —Ryan Sayles, author of Subtle Art of Brutality and Warpath “A joyous celebration of the darkness within us all. With A Scholar of Pain, Grant Jerkins gives an unflinching look—with no anger or judgment—into the realities that surround us. It’s one thing to write a convincing and compassionate love story, but writing one that involves a sex doll, well that’s another thing completely.” —DH Tuck, author of Formica