News

I’m pleased to report that Independent Book Review lists Hellions in “Literary Fiction Books that are Punk AF.” Nick Gardner writes, “Witches, Cryptids, Ghosts, and other supernatural entities plague the pages of Julia Elliott’s strange collection of longer short fiction. No flash stories here. But just like when you enter a DIY venue and feel surrounded by like minds, the pages of Hellions is a comforting place for those who have normalized the weird. . . . Elliott’s stories are filled with loners and weirdos outperforming their normative peers and youngsters challenging their parents’ conservative ideals. What’s more punk than that?”

In anticipation of my Piccolo Fiction reading at Blue Bicycle Books, I chatted with Henry O’Brien of  Charleston City Paper–mostly about Hellions and monsters: “Piccolo Fiction to Explore Monsters, Comedy, Sports on Saturday.”

It’s always enlightening to discuss politics and fiction with writers Whitney Terrell and V.V Ganeshananthan on the Fiction / Non / Fiction podcast. You can catch our latest conversation on Literary Hub: “Small Town Voters and Trump’s Tariff Trap.”

I’m thrilled to see Beth Steidle, visionary designer of the Hellions cover, get more praise in Book Riot‘s “These 2025 Short Story Collections Have Some Brilliant Covers.” Kelly Jensen says, “In a roundup I did last year, I mentioned having found a cover designer whose work I could not get enough of. Well, she’s back. Steidle’s appearance on this particular list won’t be limited to this fun and unique pink cover with an alligator. . .. For a surreal collection of short stories that rework fairy tales and infuse horror within them, there could be no better cover.”

Writer Adrian Van Young has great things to say about Hellions in “A Fresh Blend of Southern Gothic Weirdness,” Southwest Review: “The stories in Hellions are full-throated, grown-ass Southern Gothic fairy tales of seemingly original extraction; that’s what makes them great—and fresh.. . .. [Elliott] might just be one of the best genre blenders to shed her human skin and screech.”

Shelf Awareness includes Hellions (Tin House) in “The Best Books This Week,” with a great review from Nina Semczuk, who says “The talented Julia Elliott alchemizes a mix of southern gothic horror and folktale, creating her own muggy, wild atmospheres in Hellions. In 11 stories, Elliott uses her gift for visceral description in various situations; for instance, an abbot ‘glistens like a broiled ham, a nun’s ‘soul rejoices like a bird flitting from a dark hut, out into summer air, and in ‘Erl King,’ college roommates share ‘mutual longing” that “[fills] the room like a swarm of moths.’. . . These are adult fairy tales at their finest.”

Beth Steidle, who designed the cover for Hellions (Tin House) is a genius, and I’m so glad to see her work acknowledged on Lit Hub, “The 15 Best Book Covers of April.”

In “Bookshelf: Gothic Short Stories and a Comic Crime Thriller for Spring Reading,” Suzanne Van Atten of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution says, “Julia Elliott writes delightfully disturbing short stories rendered in such lush detail and gorgeous prose, it’s easy to get lost in the wildly different worlds she creates, whether it’s a medieval convent, a magical forest or a tiny town in rural South Carolina. She’s like one of her characters, spinning a spell with her tales, making them feel lived instead of read, so that when they conclude, the ending really sticks.”

Washington Post lists my story collection Hellions in “11 New Paperbacks to Read this Month“: “Elliott’s new collection of short stories has been described by more than one reader as “feral.” Incorporating elements of Southern gothic, fantasy, fairy tales, and other genres, it showcases a fearless imagination.” Out now with Tin House.

There are so many wonderful indie bookstores in the South, and I’m honored to be featured in The Southern Bookseller Review‘s “Book Buzz: Hellions by Julia Elliott.” Special thanks to Mikey Lafave from Avid Bookshop in Athens, Georgia, Tony Peltier from Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Joshua Lambie from Underground Books in Carrolton, Georgia for their eloquent descriptions of my collection.