A01=A. J. Ashworth
adventure
aliens
anthology
Author_A. J. Ashworth
books fiction
books science fiction
Category=FL
classic
collection
dystopia
eq_bestseller
eq_fiction
eq_isMigrated=1
eq_isMigrated=2
eq_nobargain
eq_science-fiction
fantasy
fiction
fiction books
future
gaming
horror
long story short
magic
mystery
novella
novels
post apocalyptic
sci fi book
sci fi books
sci-fi
science fiction
science fiction and fantasy
science fiction books
science fiction novels
short stories
short stories collections
short story anthology
short story collections
space
space opera
superhero
superheroes
time travel
urban fantasy
Product details
- ISBN 9781915983381
- Dimensions: 127 x 178mm
- Publication Date: 21 Oct 2025
- Publisher: Goldsmiths, University of London
- Publication City/Country: GB
- Product Form: Paperback
Secure
checkout
Fast Shipping
Easy returns
14 powerful stories spanning post-apocalyptic futures to the paleolithic past, exploring female resilience across speculative and realist landscapes
In “Maybe the Birds,” A.J. Ashworth weaves together narratives that are both deeply human and imaginatively bold, each story examining what it means to be alive when the world is no longer as it used to be.
The collection showcases Ashworth’s range, featuring a young female vampire who uses her knowledge of mirrors to save her village from her creator, and a woman grappling with the unsettling feeling that the robins she has always cherished are no longer her allies. These narratives, largely speculative in nature, are grounded in universal themes of love and loss, family bonds and betrayals, and the profound moments of disconnection and connection that define our closest relationships.
Featuring “Leather” from Best British Short Stories, this is Ashworth’s second short story collection. Her work has garnered critical acclaim for its unique blend of speculative elements with deeply realistic emotional landscapes, creating stories that feel both otherworldly and intimately familiar.
A. J. Ashworth is the author of the short story collection Somewhere Else, or Even Here, which won Salt Publishing’s Scott Prize, was nominated for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award, and shortlisted for the Edge Hill Prize. She has a PhD in Creative Writing from Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, and currently works as a secondary school English teacher.
