Update: I spoke with WW Norton a little more about this project and was able to get the following details about what will be different about this version of the book.

"Injected with new material and special design elements, Invisible Monsters Remix fulfills Chuck Palahniuk's original vision for his 1999 novel, turning a daring satire on beauty and the fashion industry into an even more wildly unique reading experience. Laced in are new chapters of memoir and further scenes with the book's characters. Readers will jump between chapters, reread the book to understand the dissolve between fiction and fact, and decipher the playful book design."

Several months back we dropped some pretty huge news on you all when it was announced that Invisible Monsters would not only be re-released as a hardcover, but that it would be an updated 'remixed' version of the novel.  For those in the know, Monsters is the only book of Chuck's that was never originally released in a hardcover format.  That all changes next June 2012 when Norton will release this new version.  And today we have an exclusive first look at the cover.

Pre-Order the 'Invisible Monsters' Remix Today!

Click to see a larger version and rate. read more »

First thing's first: No, these are not for sale.  Secondly: Why the hell not!?  If Nike can pimp Marty McFly's kicks, why shouldn't they be able to flaunt some Brandy Alexander leather?

Here's what our talented designer, 'Shane' (the Dez!gner online), had to say about his creation:

I do custom footwear and recently did a pair of Invisible Monster Womens.  Nike Air 6.0 Canvas shoes.   I uploaded a photo on Facebook and tagged it onto Chucks page. I'd be proud to have it on your fan submission site. I have no intention of selling this pair for money as it is not my original art.

See more at his Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=155909877835319&set=o.39860039925&type=3&theater

Gerry Howard, Chuck's long-time editor and friend, is definitely having a good time this week.  He emailed me, Chuck's agent, his publicist and some people at Random House with something fun the other day.  Shit, I'd say it's more than fun, it's downright uncanny!

Behold!  Chuck and Abraham Lincoln, side by side!

But it doesn't stop there.  Joe Gallagher over at Knopf was having such a good time with this, that he went and set up a Tumblr dedicated to the topic.  So also go check out: http://chuckandabe.tumblr.com/

If anyone wants to send us more funny comparisons like this, of Chuck side by side with our greatest American president, have at it! You can send them to submissions@chuckpalahniuk.net.

Those of you who have been here for a while know that The Cult has gone through many iterations over the years.  From about 1999-2002 we were just a Chuck Palahniuk fansite.  But that changed in 2003 with the first incarnation of our Writers' Workshop.  Over the next few years, we broadened into features, interviews and reviews.

For as many fans that loved these new eclectic offerings, there seemed to be twice as many that were confused by it.  "Wait, why aren't we talking about Tyler Durden?"  You might laugh at that, but it's true.  There's just a large, large group of Chuck fans that want us just talking about Chuck.  After all, it is his official fan site.  And we understand and respect that.

It was because of this growing non-Palahniuk content, that we first began to seriously consider a stand-alone site.  About one year ago we began discussing the creation of a new site dedicated to support this type of content. We discussed the idea with Chuck and he was a full supporter of this decision.  If you know anything about Chuck, you know how modest he is. He cares about his fans and fellow authors alike.

With this in mind we set out with a new goal; to appease the reader just interested in Chuck Palahniuk content, and to give the visitor to our site who likes these other offerings... more.

On October 1st we are launching a new website called LitReactor.com.  Many of you who follow us on our social media feeds already might know about this endeavor.  It's been in the works for over a year now and we're extremely excited about it. read more »

Some pretty cool artwork today from 'Hanna.'  First one is Invisible Monsters.  The other is from Rant.  Click each one below to see a larger version and to rate it.

  read more »

A History You Want to Know

This is a history you want to know even if you were never a fan of the genre. Even if you weren’t part of the Nirvana vs. Pearl Jam debate (Nirvana, for the record). Even if you didn’t need another reason to loathe Courtney Love. Even if you didn’t know a pre-Microsoft/Starbucks Seattle. Even if you have no clue as to what The La’s “There She Goes”, GnR’s “Mr. Brownstone” and Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” have in common.

But, if like me, this music was in your wheelhouse for a better part of your teens and early twenties, then you’ll no doubt eat through this meticulous (567 pages worth) collection of quotes, woven into an entertaining and revealing oral history in which a series of smaller stories are all sewn into the greater quilt of the work. One of the funniest aspects of this book is the style of contradictory narrative in which one person from a band says X happened and then a manager/roadie/ex-girlfriend/ex-band mate comes immediately afterwards and refutes the previous statement. Given the copious amounts of drug/alcohol usage of the time that is unflinchingly attested to within Everyone Loves Our Town: An Oral History of Grunge, one can understand why some details, some twenty, thirty years later might not mean the same thing to all people.

The most important aspect of this work, as with any work that chronicles the lives of our beloved and tortured musicians, is the overtone of humanity. Not only are the “players” represented in this book, but a great many of the former band-mates who walked away before the word “grunge” became a household name and a way to sell flannel at three times the going rate.

Enter Mark Yarm, a freshly laid-off senior editor at Blender magazine, who at the behest of a friend and literary agent, set out on a two year journey to write the definitive oral history of grunge. read more »

In gearing up for promotion of his upcoming novel Damned, Chuck just did an interview with British weekly mag Shortlist.com.

Interview with Chuck Palahniuk on Shortlist.com

How the hell have none of you tried something like this before?  For as long as it became 'a thing,' I've been a fan of the fake Criterion covers fans have designed.  Not only are many of them hysterical (one of my favorites being Days of Thunder), but some of the artwork is damn good and clearly tops the shitty, uninspired DVD covers studios sleepwalk through.  (example: Scott Pilgrim vs. Scott Pilgrim).  These fans could be working for Criterion with these skills.

But alas, I've never seen a fake Criterion for Fight Club.  Until now...

This was designed by S. L. Jackson.  Here's what he had to say about the design: read more »

Good news for you canucks!  Chuck is taking a trip north of the border to British Columbia for two big reading events for Damned.  Here's the scoop from his Canadian publishers:

British Columbia audiences have been some of the most enthusiastic of Chuck’s past tours so [we're]really excited about these events. In Vancouver he’s returning to the Frederic Wood theatre on UBC campus where he had a now legendary night five years ago sharing the stage with Doug Coupland. And it has been over four years since he has been to Victoria (for RANT) so [we] can’t wait to see what he has in store this time.  Chuck emailed [us recently] and said he was stockpiling some interesting prizes so he could give his Canadian events the “full treatment.”  I didn’t dare to ask…
 

 So without further ado, here are the two dates:

• November 28th - Victoria, BC - *Tickets go on sale 10-18-11 w/ purchase of 'Damned'
• November 30th - Vancouver, BC - *Tickets go on sale 8-26-11!

*For more info, check out our Tour page.  And for pictures from past tours, check out  our Flickr Group!

...or "Tiffanys," as Kenny Cantor affectionately calls them. Not that it makes the idea any less offensive.

Kenny is a successful CPA in a Brooks Brothers suit on holiday in Rio de Janeiro. He isn't there for the food or the beaches or the nightlife- he's there to pay for pussy. The man is a veteran sex tourist on the prowl, and he's heard that the streets of Rio are paved with the stuff. Lucky for him, in Levy's version of the notorious South American city, the rumors turn out to be true. read more »

Buy Seven Days In Rio From Amazon.com