Gooflumps
|
Cover for Stay Out of the Bathroom, the second book. | |
| Author | Tom Hughes (as R.U. Slime) |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre |
Parody Horror |
| Publisher | Random House Inc. |
| Published | 1995 |
| Media type | Print (hardcover and paperback) |
Gooflumps is the name given to a two-part parody series written in 1995 by Tom Hughes under the pseudonym of R. U. Slime.[1]
Overview
The series consisted of two books that were parodies of the famous Goosebumps series, by R. L. Stine. Both books were released simultaneously in 1995 by Random House, Inc. Both books are now out of print, but can be found on Amazon.com. Although originally released exclusively in the United States and Canada, thanks to the internet, the books are being sold in other countries for the first time.[2]
The books
Both books are not linked in their storylines, but both books featured three taglines on their covers:
- Buy 2 - that's it!
- This spoof is just a goof!
- Warning! Not a Goosebumps book
Despite the similarity in writing and the title spoofs, the books were not actual parodies of any particular Goosebumps books, instead parodying the writing-style of R. L. Stine.
Stay Out of the Bathroom (Gooflumps Book 2 ½)
This book's title is a parody of Stay Out of the Basement, although the book itself is more similar to Let's Get Invisible!. Stay out of the Bathroom centers on a young boy named Joe Kohler, a self-proclaimed "toilet king" who begins to experience strange things going on with his toilet, such as the lid slamming down on his head while he is vomiting, the toilet refusing to flush, and a trail of missing people leading directly to his bathroom. He soon discovers that the toilet is actually a teleportation device for sinister aliens visiting the Earth.
Eat Cheese and Barf! (Gooflumps Book 4 ½)
This book has a title which is a parody of Say Cheese and Die!, although the plot is more similar to Monster Blood. Eat Cheese and Barf! involves a young lactose-intolerant boy named Billy Fudder whose family has moved from Syracuse, New York to the rural town of Bledsoe, New York after inheriting a farm from his grandfather. The town thrives on the production of dairy products, which clearly irritates Billy, as he is the only lactose-intolerant boy in the city. However, this boring town houses a secret, beneath his home is a creature made entirely of Cottage cheese created by his grandfather, who was actually insane. His sister's one-armed boyfriend Armand the farmhand and his talking dairy cow Martha try to help them find a way to stop the monster while he and his friend Fannie arrive at the local carnival where it has been released.[3]
References
- ↑ The books are both credited to R. U. Slime, but the inside cover of both books gives the copyright in the name of Robert Hughes.
- ↑ Amazon.co.uk: Gooflumps
- ↑ http://zeus.mirtna.org/gooflumps-eat-cheese-and-barf.html