Playthings is the debut collection of stories by Alabama writer Karl Koweski. Well-known in the world of "small magazines", Koweski has stormed the scene with numerous appearances in journals and zines the past couple of years. The stories in Playthings are like slices of demented Americana, at once aggresive and natural, freakish and dark. Koweski shows a commanding and convincing voice that give each story the mystique of an overheard myth. Not only that, they're as funny as anything you'll read this year. Check out what Jeff Grimshaw, of Crystal Drum, had to say about them:

"Koweski's stories and the horny, hilarious losers who populate them, will stay in your head for a long time. When he describes a late night joyride, a deformed nipple, an epic bender, he gets it so right you just have to shake your head in amazement."

Or read the comments of Scott Gordon, of Staplegun Press:

"Karl Koweski's writing manages to consistently pull off the mad trifecta of being self-depreciating, critical of society and, most importantly, funny as hell."