Little Birds

by Sam Pink (Contributor), Elle Nash (Contributor ), Nate Lippens (Contributor )

Little Birds is a collection of short fiction and poetry that exists outside the boundaries of conventional genres. Featuring Sam Pink, Elle Nash, Nate Lippens, Shane Jesse Christmass, Brian Alan Ellis, and G.C. McKay.

102 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2021

About the author

Sam Pink is the author of The No Hellos Diet, Hurt Others, I Am Going to Clone Myself Then Kill the Clone and Eat It, Frowns Need Friends Too, and the cult hit Person. His writing has been published widely in print and on the internet, and also in other languages. He lives in Chicago, where he plays in the band Depressed Woman.

Reviews

[Paige Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 This is the smallest book I’ve ever seen yet it’s filled with many familiar faces.Sam Pink’s micros are here to read like punk lyrics: pollen and enemies’ blood seems to be a good opening theme for this mostly short story book. Then there’s Elle Nash, who I’ve read all her books and usually liked or at least always found the subjects very interesting (anorexia, bug fetishism, Satanism, polyamory, etc.). The story is named like a Britney Spears hit, which only seems more up her alley, given all we know about the conservatorship. The start reminds me very much of G.C. McKay’s story in SlutVomit: An Anthology of SexWork: There’s a bi cam girl who will puke for virtual coins and the dialogue is as unnatural. I like the fragments that are song-like though wish the setting/order of things was clearer from the get-go. For example, when she says someone opens the door, make clearer it’s the front door and not the bathroom door. A bunch of little things like that. I have the same problem in writing: can’t remember other people aren’t in my head. I love how often ants appear in this book. The gravity of the piece ends well, especially accompanied by the sound of an overheard jet in overcast childhood skies. Good metaphors all through the last page.

The next story is by Nate Lippens, the only author I’m unfamiliar with. It’s an itsy piece about the conflicted feelings of visiting a convict, the sort of existential questions it makes you ask yourself. Well-done capturing of emotion though I’m not sure if I’m missing something about their relationship.

The next piece is by Shane Xmas, author of Meth-DTF I purchased in this cute, sticker-strewn Filthy Loot bundle. The terse fragments fit such a speedy drug. It’s like a fast-pace stream of consciousness. It’s not my thing in large doses, and I’m not sure if the reality is that the MC or seeming hook-up are violent or the imagination, but either way, I suppose that’s crank.

Brain Alan Ellis is next with the obvious allusion to American Psycho’s author, Bret Easton Ellis. Yet the work is more so a series of unrelated text messages, quite emo millenial memey. I can’t believe they really wrote “my cries for help bring all the boys to the yard” and adorned it with music notes. Haha.

The last story is actually by aforementioned GC McKay who also featured in In Filth It Shall Be Found. It takes up half the book, and involves his common motifs of motivation by sex and a ponderance of free will/string theory. There’s the interesting concept of a bar owner pretending to save roofied girls when he in fact poisoned and raped them. If the language was a bit less dense and repetitive, this unseemly vibe would really shine like the slime it’s meant to. The bit about tasting her in the air is good, as is the bleary drunken perception and the surprisingly sensual description of her sipping a drink in a pretty dress.

The word incel gets thrown around a lot but this seems the best representation of the violent arrogance and carnal propulsion in an MC—though this one obviously has more sex than he deserves.
Everybody knows he’s smarmy when they read his face and glance away or poke fun, watch him bristle and glare at a girl, thinking he’s coy, the crème de la crème. I’m not so sure what to make of the end. It comes across a bit “destroyer of worlds” meets big brother, him being too meek but also too mean to be the rapist as he aspired?

As for the book as a whole, I like the short format and the stretched typeface for the title and authors; it’s like we’re being pulled into something subtlety portal-like, a natural void like quicksand. It seems birds are too delicate for the subject matter versus insects, though.

[on storygraph (macclown) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really quite enjoyed the first half of this, I particularly enjoyed the first story, 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' by Elle Nash, which follows the main character struggle with cam work.

However the main bulk of this book (54 of the 102 pages) was 'Chameleon' by G C McKay and I really didn't enjoy it. It was well written, but the subject matter was just unbearable. It follows the main character (who lacks any personality) at a bar, with a woman he doesn't even like called Hedda, intertwined with the retelling of the how previous club owner was a serial rapist. It culminates in the main character sexually assaulting Hedda. I'm not sure if there was supposed to be a deeper meaning but I really couldn't enjoy it.

[Bob Comparda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This small anthology from Filthy Loot Press started out fantastic with three strong entries from two authors I love (Pink & Nash) and one I haven't read before. Didn't much care for the fourth entry. The BAE poems were fun, but not something that I would seek out. I really didn't like the last entry, which was the longest of them all and took up half of the book, at all. My favorite part however was Sam Pink's description in the about the authors section in the back!

Sam Pink - 3 Poems ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Elle Nash - Hit Me Baby One More Time ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Nate Lippens - Convictions ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Shane Jesse Christmass - Hair Tonic ⭐⭐
Brian Alan Ellis - 6 Poems ⭐⭐⭐
G.C. McKay - Chameleon ⭐

[Jesse Larkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started and finished on Thursday May 25th 2023
A collection of transgressive short stories, poems, and unclassifiable pieces from 7 authors; finely curated by Ira Rat of Filthy Loot
Themes ranging from social alienation, self-destruction, commodification of the body, and more
Every author is substantial
I’m a fan of most of these writers and I knew the names of the ones I hadn’t read before this
The standouts to me were G.C. McKay’s Chameleon and Hair Tonic by Shane Jesse Christmass
My favorite piece, Chameleon was more of a novella and takes up over half the book
Follows a guy’s night returning to a club’s re-opening after it was temporarily closed due to sexual misconduct allegations
Engaging page turner quality
McKay’s authentic sexual frankness
Layered with humor and a slight sadness
Uneasy tension that perpetuates throughout
Deals with themes of multiple perspectives and the dichotomy of objective and subjective reality
Stunning piece as to be expected from McKay
It’s in the central character’s nature to snuff out anything that can perceive his dimensionality
Hair Tonic was a short story about a fucked up relationship possibly ending in violence
If you’re familiar with Shane’s writing style then you know it’s about the overall impression you’re left with as opposed to a structured linear narrative.
You’re receiving surveyed images one fragment at a time, painting an idea in your head of the general feelings of the story
The flow of the words have a particular ear worm quality to them.
Beautiful stuff

[Jim Ivy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mostly second thoughts and tossable pieces, but the one long piece, the only piece with significant writing, was so disturbing…I need a mental shower.

[Noelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

*DNF at 50% way through the book*

One of the worst things I’ve ever picked up. Couldn’t force myself to finish it.