True Clown Stories, by James Burt and others

True Clown Stories is a collection of short stories about clowns and the awful things they do.

James Burt writes: My clown stories are about people who want to be entertaining. They want to bring people some innocent joy, but reality has thwarted them. These are stories about people who've devoted themselves to red noses and giant shoes but struggle to survive.

I've been writing clown stories for years. These pieces are strange and intense, and I'm proud to share them. They might be about grubby, angry performers, but they are also about the world we all live in.

You'll read about Gutters the Clown and the job he accepts with famous horror writer, Frank Carnage. I'll introduce you to Mr Giggles, a clown whose enthusiasm has soured into bitterness. There is the obscenity of a rich clown in the lurid details of Lord Trimalchio’s most scandalous party. And then there's the heartbreaking account of Poppers’ last day on Earth.

These are not simple stories of murderous clowns: they're more complicated affairs about people trying to do their best and being knocked back.