The Auguste

Book excerpt: Some people have a bad hair day. For Algy Tuckett, his hair is the least of his problems. One October morning in 1932, Algy, a 22-year old junior clerk at Gurney and Barman's wool mill, awakes to find himself transformed into a frail old clown. In fact, not only has his appearance changed, but so have his surroundings and all the people he knows. The dictionary definition of an Auguste is a circus clown. This archetype is what Algy has become, the ragged little hobo who gets the pie in his face. Surprisingly unperturbed by this, he attempts to make it to his office, or to a doctor's, determined to find a way out of the bad dream. Despite his best efforts, however, he becomes waylaid at every turn by a cast of wonderfully grotesque characters and a series of surrealistic episodes beyond his control. The Auguste is a rich and intricate novel that offers a poetic and entertaining tapestry. This fascinating work manages to portray an absurd world where the way out is not what it would appear to be. About the Author: Keith Blackburn grew up in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England, where he still resides, working as a full-time self-employed artist. His influences for The Auguste are many, most prominently Kafka's Metamorphosis. Blackburn's previous published books are Between Septembers, Lamentations of a Young Pig, Changes in a Landscape, Feathers for Laura, and Grandma's Garden. He is currently working on his next book, a sequel to The Auguste entitled Pilgrim. Publisher's website: http: //sbpra.com/KeithBlackburn