Cirrus@Austlit

'Summer is the time for good stories. This lively new collection from Black Inc. draws together new and published short fiction from some of our country’s most talented storytellers, showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of Australian short fiction. Each of these memorable tales will stay with you long after reading – and the collection as a whole makes the perfect holiday gift. Whether you’re by the pool, on the beach or lazing in the park, spend your summer with Australia’s best writers. Featuring new stories from Tony Birch, Stephanie Bishop, Elliot Perlman, Aoife Clifford, Michael Mohammed Ahmad and many others, this brilliant collection continues Black Inc.’s long tradition of discovering and celebrating the country’s finest writers.'   (Publication summary)

'This stunning story collection includes two prize-winning novellas along with an impressive range of historical and contemporary stories, all written by characters who yearn to belong and find acceptance.

'From the award-winning author of Stone Sky Gold Mountain come these superbly crafted stories that explore the inner lives of those who are often ignored or misunderstood.

'We follow a migrant mother who yearns to feel welcomed at a kids' party in a local park; a young skateboarder caught between showing loyalty and being accepted; and an Indonesian maid working far from home who longs for the son she's left behind. Bookending this collection are two stunning novellas: Annah the Javanese re-imagines the world of one of Paul Gauguin's models in nineteenth-century Paris, while the highly acclaimed The Fish Girl reworks a classic W Somerset Maugham story from the perspective of a young Indonesian woman.

'With rich emotional insight and a light touch, these wide-ranging stories reveal hidden desires and human fragility.' (Publication summary)