According to author Bill Dutcher, a fictoid is a bit of fictional history, telling a story or making a statement in one sentence. In other words, a fictoid is just a fictional factoid. His new book, "Fictoids: short fiction ... very short" provides a humorous look at cultural history from 1220 BC through 2004 and is available at www.fictoids.com .

"A typical fictoid tells who did what, when and where," Dutcher explains. "For example, did you know that, after suffering from frequent hangovers, movie star and Las Vegas lounge singer Dean Martini began an intensive series of acupuncture treatments in 1965, but he had to quit after a dozen sessions, because his friends began to needle him and he could no longer hold his liquor. Of course you didn't, because it's a fictoid."

Featuring cover art and illustrations by New Yorker cartoonist Jack Ziegler, the book includes fictoids about music, movies, plays, books, sports, politics, business and other topics too random to mention. Its many colorful characters include Sleeping Beauty's sister Lazy Susan, Norwegian film star Harrison Fjord, classical rap artist YoYo Mama, fashion photographer F. Stop Fitzgerald, sports philosopher Homer Plato, and assistant press secretary Feckless Spinmeister.

In addition to Dean Martini, the book's illustrations include Leonardo DaVani, who invented both the periodic table and the occasional chair, undefeated shadow boxer Pugnacious Palooka, real estate mogul Donald Trumpet, and Saddam Hussein, playing solitaire in his spider hole.

"Although my book is politically incorrect, none of the humor is off-color or mean-spirited. It's pure fiction and meant to entertain," Dutcher said.

In his day job, Dutcher is president of Dutcher & Company, Inc., an Oklahoma City oil and gas property management company he founded in 1987. The company recently opened its publishing and photography division in Norman, Oklahoma. This division, headed by his daughter Emily Dutcher, published Fictoids and is now marketing the book.

Fictoids can be ordered online for $12 plus shipping from www.fictoids.com or www.amazon.com .

Source: Dutcher & Company, Inc.

CONTACT: Emily Dutcher of Dutcher & Company, Inc., +1-405-447-0231, or
emily@fictoids.com

Web site: http://www.fictoids.com/
http://www.amazon.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Bill Dutcher is available for interviews. Review copies and illustrations available. Call contact.