DAVID KITZMILLER

The "Dealing with the Toaster" Memoir Series.

The memoirs form the foundation of the Toaster Universe. They document the periods of Kitzmiller’s life that shaped his creative work, providing context for the themes and ideas that appear throughout the rest of the universe. Each book reflects a different stage of his personal history and establishes the framework from which the later branches developed.

• Born with a Toaster in the Bathroom 
  This memoir covers Kitzmiller’s early years, outlining the circumstances and experiences that influenced his initial approach to writing. It presents the environment in which his creative work first emerged and establishes several elements that later become part of the Toaster Universe.

• A Step Away from Bathing with a Toaster 
  Written after his return to writing in Australia, this memoir marks the beginning of the Toaster Universe as a defined body of work. It addresses the period leading up to that turning point and documents the transition from a prolonged absence from writing to the start of a new creative direction.

Together, these memoirs provide the core narrative that informs the poetry, fiction, and music that followed. They serve as the entry point into the broader creative framework Kitzmiller continues to develop.

Poems from the Toaster (Volume I, II, and III)

Poetry marks the point where the Toaster Universe expanded beyond memoir and into a structured creative medium. After returning to writing, Kitzmiller developed a format that combined text with visual elements, establishing an approach that would influence later branches of the universe.

Kitzmiller is a six‑time Critic’s Choice winner.

The Poems from the Toaster series (Volumes I, II, and III) received top honors at the Northeastern Poetry Summit and represents a departure from traditional poetry collections. Each volume contains more than ninety pieces, with every poem designed as an individual visual asset. The work incorporates typography, photography, illustration, and graphic design, creating a format that integrates written and visual components.

The series functions as a bridge between the memoirs and the subsequent fictional and musical work. It establishes the aesthetic framework of the Toaster Universe and provides continuity between the personal history documented in the memoirs and the creative developments that followed.

The novel marks the point where the Toaster Universe extends into fiction. While drafting his third memoir, Playing with a Toaster by the Bathtub, which covers his late teen years and early adulthood, Kitzmiller revisited the period when he performed in a real teenage band named Nameless Cowfish. During that process, he began considering how events might have unfolded had the group continued. Those questions formed the basis of Nameless Cowfish: The Years Between the Stations. The band name is drawn from his past; the narrative itself is fictional. 

Nameless Cowfish: The Years Between The Stations

The Debut Novel from David Kitzmiller.

Nameless Cowfish: The Years Between the Stations follows a garage band from Sheridan, Indiana, tracing their development, setbacks, and the period between their early efforts and later outcomes. Although fictional, the novel maintains continuity with themes present in the memoirs and poetry, reflecting the same focus on personal history, creative direction, and the influence of formative experiences.

The novel also connects directly to the musical branch of the Toaster Universe. The fictional band featured in the book became the subject of Rust Belt Thunder, a tribute album recorded by real musicians and released through Ace of Toaster Records. This crossover illustrates how the literary and musical components of the universe intersect and how one branch can inform another.

The novel serves as a link between the earlier memoir and poetry work and the subsequent musical catalog, contributing to the broader structure of the Toaster Universe.

Independent Discography & Production.

Ace of Toaster Records serves as the musical branch of the Toaster Universe, extending Kitzmiller’s creative work into a separate medium. The catalog developed alongside his writing, with projects that reflect themes present in the memoirs, poetry, and fiction. Each release contributes to the broader framework of the universe while maintaining its own identity.

The label’s catalog includes multiple releases that vary in style and approach, but all remain connected to the larger creative ecosystem. Through Ace of Toaster Records, the musical work functions as a complement to the written material, offering an additional way to engage with the themes and ideas present throughout Kitzmiller’s body of work.

Corporate & Creative Inquiries.

For media requests, rights licensing, collaboration proposals, or official correspondence regarding the Norman Kitzmiller Publications portfolio, please utilize our primary point of contact.

A Note from Management: If you have arrived at this catalog because you are currently going through your own dark spaces, please know that you do not have to carry it alone. Critical mental health and crisis support networks are actively listed on our About page.