Acclaimed author Marianne Villanueva is set to release her latest collection, Residents of the Deep: Stories, this August through Unsolicited Press, based in Portland, Oregon. In this compelling new collection, Villanueva delves into the depths of human resilience through a series of powerful and thought-provoking stories.
In the story Ice, two men navigate a bleak, post-apocalyptic world where survival itself becomes the only purpose. "The point is, there is no point. You just keep going," one character reflects, embodying the collection's unflinching exploration of endurance. In Dumaguete, a young boy faces overwhelming pressure as he struggles to protect his mother, a responsibility that threatens to unravel him. The title story, Residents of the Deep, follows a ship captain who encounters a submerged city and is faced with a profound moral reckoning that challenges his sense of duty and responsibility.
Villanueva's writing is marked by its clarity and emotional depth, revealing the raw tenacity of individuals in the face of profound hardship. Her stories capture both vulnerability and strength, offering readers a deeply moving portrait of perseverance.
Born and raised in the Philippines, Villanueva received a Creative Writing Fellowship from Stanford University and now resides in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the author of the short story collections Ginseng and Other Tales from Manila, Mayor of the Roses, and The Lost Language. Additionally, a chapter from her novel The Desolation, which examines the World War II occupation of an island in the central Philippines, will appear in the upcoming issue of Consequence.
Villanueva has also contributed to Low Hanging Fruit, with her poem "Hydrozoans" featured in its first issue and "Ghost" in the second. Her ongoing contributions to contemporary literature continue to showcase her skill in exploring complex emotional landscapes and social themes.
Residents of the Deep: Stories promises to be a powerful addition to Villanueva's body of work and an essential read for those drawn to stories of survival, morality, and the human condition.
