Bonnie Hearn Hill, author The Astro Girl series from Running Press/Perseus Books (2010)

“‘Random Obsessions’ is the perfect desk reference for ordinary insane people. Nick Belardes is a force of nature.”

Brad Listi, author of Attention. Deficit. Disorder

”Nick Belardes is an imaginative writer with a truly new and unique voice—he will both startle and thrill you with his stories that pop out from the dark like the teasing dangers in Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.”

Jessica Anya Blau, author of The Summer of Naked Swim Parties
Voted ‘Best Book of 2008’ by The San Francisco Chronicle

“Nick Belardes is definitely from the dark side of the zodiac—lucky for us who love to read about real-life freaks, weird rituals, and ew-w-w-w eliciting strangeness. Random Obsessions is packed with, "what the hell?" moments, hair-raising tales, and just plain spooky fun.”

Hazel Dixon-Cooper, Author of the Rotten Day Astrology Books
Cosmopolitan Magazine's Bedside Astrologer

“For the reader who needs to know why the characters in Dilbert don't have mouths, your oracle has arrived. Random Obsessions is every bit as silly as it is informative. Belardes has ransacked the useless information files and uncovered some gems.”

Jonathan Evison, author of All About Lulu

“Nick Belardes told me he'd throw himself into a chicken coop filled with baby chickies if I didn't blurb this book. Of course he needn't have gone so far because Random Obsessions stands unique - and wonderful! - in its explication of the bizarre and the divine. Warning: read it as I am doing with a lovely Pinot Noir or, at least, a Diet Pepsi Lime. Seriously, read it, for fun and adventure, because you will not be disappointed.”

Lauren Baratz-Logsted, author of a ridiculous amount of books, most particularly Vertigo and The Sisters Eight series.

“[Obsessions] is space age journalistic cut-up, as Burroughs might have hallucinated, that is, if he were stoned on [California] central valley methane sky, with a cheap tequila hangover, and big plow cojones that makes Belardes's writing so damn outlandish, and yet, so Bakersfield!”

Tim Z. Hernandez, author of Skin Tax
2006 American Book Award Winner

"And I thought my friends were weird. Reading "Random Obsessions" is like wandering around the Epcot Center on hallucinogens – colorful, crazy, occasionally terrifying, and always exciting. If you're a trivia buff with a penchant for the madcap, do yourself a favor, and buy this book."

Matt Shaer, Christian Science Monitor

"In Random Obsessions, Nick writes about the wacky, the wild and the random. Everything you ever wanted to know about fried spiders as delicacy, jobs as odor tester, and what exactly is in Anasazi poo, and much much more, you’ll find in this handy dandy reference to all things weird. It’s like a self-help guide for folks without imaginations. Or literature for those of us that like to know things that others don’t."
—Amy Wallen, author of MoonPies and Movie Stars and DimeStories Reading Series host