Introduction [excerpt] A few years ago, I was on the active prowl for a new author to read. Instead of looking to recommended or bestseller lists, I searched for MFA programs in creative writing, read the short bios of the faculty and put holds on their books in my public library. Aimee Bender from UC Irvine was one of the first to pop up, and her work changed my perception of fiction dramatically.... Critics have said that Aimee Bender's works make you thankful for being a normal person; what an idea to work...