Calvin Klein

There are misconceptions about us monsters hiding under the bed at night. First, putting the blanket over your head doesn’t do anything. Second, we don’t have any intention of killing you. Well, not all of us. Third, we usually show up when you have a genuine fear of something substantial.

For the past twenty years, Sam has been stuck living in fear and dangling on the strings pulled by his father. The whole time, Calvin—a brazen, chain-smoking monster—has been stuck in his closet. In this novelette, Cal shares the story of their unconventional best friendship and the mounting crises in both their lives: Sam is as paralyzed as ever by his father’s expectations, while Cal’s terminal illness puts them both in a race against the clock to conquer Sam’s fears. As their journey approaches its conclusion (one way or another), they’re both faced with the difficulty of self-acceptance as well as the transformative potential of loving another creature.

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Praise for Calvin Klein

In the tradition of Donald Barthelme and Kelly Link, James Gianetti blends fantasy, humor, and tenderness to take us on an odyssey of road-kill snacks, glam rock sing-a-longs, bathtub boges, and most importantly, deep reflection on the nature of fear and the power of friendship to help us overcome it. Gianetti tells us that every monster has their scared person; reading Calvin Klein, you’ll find yourself wishing for a lovable monster like Calvin to stand by your side (or in your closet) in your own scary moments.

–Rebecca Van Laer, Author of How to Adjust to The Dark

James Gianetti’s new novelette offers a refreshing and heartbreaking twist on the childhood tale of the monster in the closet. It asks us to consider: what if that monster and its scare-tactics were there to help, not hurt? Through prose that is at once humorous, visceral, and endearing, Gianetti explores the complex comfort to be found in the fears we carry with us, and the inherent struggle we face in overcoming them, in letting them go. Calvin Klein poignantly examines the monsters (both real and figurative) that we cling to, contend with, and eventually say goodbye to, as we grow up and come to terms with our true selves. It is a story that sticks around long after reading, making us look fondly on the monsters in our own lives that got us to where we are today.

-Brenna McPeek, Editor in Chief of Fatal Flaw Literary Magazine

James Gianetti’s Calvin Klein is an exploration of the monstrous fear, grit, and love found within the most intimate of human experiences. Gianetti’s narrative voice is somewhere between George Saunders and Katherine Dunn, filtered through the ooze of an 80s chiller flick, and warmed with genuine, earnest heart. The relationship between Sam and his monster, Cal, is fragile and heartrending—a sort of delayed coming of age—but also strong and full of hope: a friendship worthy of Calvin and Hobbes. Calvin Klein has the blood, guts, and love all humans (and humanoids) deserve.

–Michael Giddings, Author of Kelly Marie Wants to Talk to You

About the Author

James Gianetti’s stories and work have been published in SmokeLong Quarterly, Fatal Flaw, Hobart, Crow Name, and Hearth & Coffin where he received an editor’s choice award. Beyond writing, James holds an M.A. in special education and teaches middle school special education in New Jersey. You can find him on twitter @Jamesgianetti or at www.jamesgianetti.com.

Calvin Klein

Praise for Calvin Klein

About the Author

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