This author shares the distinction of being doubly recommended with only one other author in this list. Visitors to either Gwenda Bond's and CAAF's sites know they have been effusive in their praise of McHugh. All the more so since McHugh's most recent publication--a short story collection titled Mothers and Other Monsters--was just recently shortlisted as a finalist for the Story Prize. Bond calls McHugh a "subtle, precise writer" whose "novels and short stories often borrow from Eastern or other multicultural settings and they always do it beautifully, focusing in on and illuminating heartbreakingly real characters." In her recommendation, CAAF calls the collection a "FREAKING KNOCKOUT." Twice. McHugh's Hugo- and Nebula-nominated novel China Mountain Zhang is also highly recommended.
More about Maureen McHugh
+ Her website and her blog
+ Her Wikipedia entry
+ Small Beer Press's page on Mothers
+ A conversation at Beatrice between McHugh and author Sarah Willis
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