TODAY'S THE DAY! Publication day for An Unfamiliar Landscape

 

Today is publication day for my third full-length short story collection, an Unfamiliar Landscape, which was commissioned last year by Teika Bellamy for Valley Press.

It's a mix of prizewinning stories from the last couple of years, a few older stories which I have re-worked, and a whole set of brand new pieces. I'd been working hard on my poetry collection (out in March next year) up until this book was commissioned, and prior to that I'd written and published two novellas with Victorina Press, both of which won the Saboteur Award for Best Novella, in 2021 and 2022 respectively. But returning in earnest to shorter fiction has really felt like coming home and has inspired a whole new wave of stories, many of which will be included in my 2024 collection of Japanese-set fiction.

I have already garnered some great advance reviews for An Unfamiliar Landscape, and I hope you enjoy it!

 

 

THE BLURB:

From a rain-soaked Berlin to a neon-lit Tokyo, the midwest of North America to the Parisian backstreets, a suburban London kitchen to a fishing village on the Yorkshire coast, wherever these characters are travelling from or to, they are all navigating unfamiliar ground in search of answers. These are stories of yearning to belong, of the urge to escape – tales of grief and alienation, of loss and betrayal, love and hope.

 

THE REVIEWS:

'Huggins’ atmospheric and evocative prose has the power to transport you around the globe while tunnelling deep into your soul. The tiniest details make the greatest impact as Huggins explores grief, relationships and self-discovery in her latest collection of short stories. A masterclass in short form fiction.'

Sarah Linley, author of The Trip and The Wedding Murders
 
'I savoured the moment of opening this new collection of short fiction by Amanda Huggins. She always writes outstanding stories but this collection is absolutely exquisite. The writing is rich with detail and the settings lodge themselves within the reader’s mind as one might expect from the title An Unfamiliar Landscape. I also love the disparate cast of characters Huggins introduces, each with their own challenges and dilemmas. They behave in unexpected ways which makes every story intriguing. A superb read.'

Gail Aldwin, author of The String Games and This Much Huxley Knows

'An Unfamiliar Landscape is another wonderful collection from an author whose writing never ceases to inspire me. She drew me into the characters’ experiences, painting their internal scenery with insight, empathy and compassion. I often found myself thinking, ‘Wow, she’s reading my soul’ – different circumstances but familiar emotions. There is such comfort when, as the reader, you feel understood.
 
Now I’ve finished my greedy binge-read, I’ve put this book on my to-reread-ASAP pile and shall savour the collection as it deserves, pausing between stories to let them resonate. I have no doubt that I’ll discover more and more each time.'

Hannah Retallick, author.

You can buy a copy here!