welcome to the world of Kat Cataclysm: silly, surreal, sex-positive.

for the uninitiated:
Kat Cataclysm is quite a character: absurdist short fiction writer, aspiring faux novelist, failed linguist, recovering slam poet, wannabe stand-up comedian, and the not-so-pure invention of Julia Serano. This page chronicles all of Julia’s Kat-Cataclysm-related writings in reverse chronological order.



99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel

Kat Cataclysm is the narrator/protagonist of Julia’s debut novel, 99 Erics: a Kat Cataclysm faux novel, which is a humorous account of Kat’s experiences writing a book called 99 Erics, wherein she chronicles her experiences dating ninety-nine different people named Eric. It is more surreal than slutty. Not that there is anything wrong with slutty.

The book is largely comprised of humorous anecdotes from Kat’s dates with various Erics; satirical takes on relationships, sexual conventions, language, the writing process, book publishing, online media, and tech culture; and Kat’s smart yet silly digressions on a variety of topics, including bisexuality, ethical non-monogamy, the distorted nature of memories, hipsters, sex toys, sabermetrics, emotional labor, trendy restaurants, Freudian slips, banana slug mating practices, lucid dreaming, and the internet of things, to name but a few. These more fanciful passages are seamlessly interwoven with more serious and mundane matters, such as navigating the world as a woman and sexual minority, being an outcast who doesn’t really fit in, struggling to make ends meet, and reconciling one’s past with the present. The end result is a fun and fast read that tackles meaty subjects and contemporary issues along the way.

99 Erics is the winner of the Publishing Triangle’s 2021 Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction, an Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) 2021 silver medalist in LGBT+ Fiction, and one of Kirkus Reviews’ Best Indie Books of 2021. Here is more praise for 99 Erics:

“I’ve been a fan of Julia’s forever, and this book has all of her warmth and humor and insight, but also tons of surreal silliness.”
—Charlie Jane Anders, author of The City in the Middle of the Night and All the Birds in the Sky

“Whip-smart, drop-dead-funny metafiction by Oakland trans-bi activist writer Julia Serano.”
—Jan Steckel, author of Like Flesh Covers Bone and The Horizontal Poet

99 Erics by Julia Serano is fantastic and one of the most fun reading experiences I've had in recent memory!”
—J.E. Sumerau, author of Via Chicago and America through Transgender Eyes

99 Erics is published by Switch Hitter Press (2020). It is available in paperback & ebook formats at all the major online outlets (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iTunes Books, Smashwords, etc.). Brick-and-mortar bookstores and libraries can order the book via Ingram — please encourage them to carry it!

Book reviews, virtual book readings, and numerous excerpts from the book can be found via the official 99 Erics webpage. You can also download the first 5 chapters for FREE in the following formats: Mobi (for Kindle readers), Epub (for iTunes/Books, Nook, and most other readers), or Pdf (for general computer use).



General Surgery & Surgeons General: a Kat Cataclysm chapbook

Before there was 99 Erics, there was General Surgery and Surgeons General, released March, 2016 on Switch Hitter Press. This modest collection (about 40 pages) provides a potpourri of Kat’s absurdist short stories, slam poems, and whimsical musings, which touch upon and/or outright tackle diverse topics such as YA dystopian fiction, photosynthesis, the uncanny valley, temporal anomalies, Santa Claus, Prince’s song lyrics, malapropisms & paraprosdokians, and the trials and travails of the contemporary author.

Several pieces in this professionally hand-crafted modern-day chapbook are early incarnations of chapters that would eventually find their way into 99 Erics. But many others are novel, and some of them (including “Reddick’s Appendix,” “Uncanny,” “Stephanie’s Secret,” “Smells Like Teen Dystopia,” “Walks into a Bar Jokes for Nerds,” and “Mr. Prince”) — as well as the chapbook itself — are alluded to or referenced throughout 99 Erics, making this a “must have” for anyone who enjoys uncovering such Easter eggs!

You can listen to readings of four of the chapters on YouTube:
At this time, General Surgery & Surgeons General: a Kat Cataclysm chapbook is only available for purchase on Amazon in paperback and ebook formats. Alternatively, a complimentary PDF of the chapbook is available to people who subscribe to Julia’s Patreon at the $5 tier or above...


To receive updates about future Kat Cataclysm book, video, and other releases, sign up for Julia’s email list!

* indicates required

julia serano ©2015-2022