Asymmetrical Press is an independent publishing company founded by three fantastic writers – maybe you know them? They founded their company to create a new way of publishing, attracting a stable of skilled writers and helping them to produce quality writing that keeps readers coming back.
From their site,
we want to be part of a positive movement in publishing. One that removes traditional hurdles and replaces them with trampolines. Instead of hindering, we want to liberate.
I’ve been fortunate enough to work with Asymmetrical as an editor, which means I’ve had the pleasure of reading a number of great books before they hit the digital shelves, plus as a fan I’ve bought several books from their catalogue, too. And be assured, this isn’t some vanity publishing project — I’ve always been impressed by the quality of writers Asymmetrical works with, and today I wanted to share with you some of those books.
Particles, Shawn Mihalik
When you’re born, you have no expectations. But if you were capable of having expectations, it would be reasonable to assume you would be held by your mother for more than eleven seconds; that after your cord was cut, you’d be wrapped in a blanket and then placed in the arms of your father; that you would see the woman who gave birth to you again sometime after you left that room. Melissa Lynn Gilpatrick gets none of these things. Instead, she’s born into a world of midwestern religious values, a world of pornstars, a world of particle physicists and Broadway playwrights, a world of terrorism and technology and natural disasters.
I love everything Shawn writes, and this is no exception. Particles allows us to inhabit the lives of several very different, and yet somehow connected, characters. I was drawn in at every point and reached the end wanting more. Shawn is particularly skilled at delving into our humanness, examining those quirks that make us real and flawed. Look out for his realistic dialogue, which captures those little tics we all have. Grab Particles here.
Chicken, Chase Night
Popular fried chicken chain Wings of Glory is under attack from homosexual activists, and Harvest Mission Pentecostal Church is ready to fight back.
Caught in the crossfire of a culture war in which they never enlisted, Casper and Brant will each have to find his own answer to the age-old question: Am I really what I eat? Because if they could find the courage to tell each other their truths, they might discover there really is life after the Ditch.
Chicken is a Southern Gothic YA novel with an infusion of magical realism. It’s a raw, honest, sometimes funny, sometimes poignant look at falling in love in a place where angels and demons are believed in without question, but the human heart is always subject to suspicion.
This book is a-maz-ing! I hadn’t read anything of Chase’s before and I’m immediately a fan. There’s a whole lot going on in this book, with some of it so subtle I’m still not entirely sure I know what happened. I was so captivated that I read it in 2 long sittings — I didn’t want to put it down. It’s an endearing story of young love, it’s family drama, it’s social commentary, with some teen angst thrown in for good measure, and a fair bit of intrigue. Get it here.
She Makes Hats, Robyn Devine
Moved by creative planning and life challenges, Robyn Devine found meaning in her life by . . . knitting hats?
She Makes Hats is one woman’s story of finding meaning, purpose, and passion by way of an old-fashioned yet rediscovered craft. With a push from a friend, Robyn Devine, a thirty-something wife and mother, moved past her apprehension and began expressing herself through texture, color, and design, turning knitting into her hobby, her meditation, and a functional product that helps people all around the world.
This is a book about how a woman came to love knitting, but of course it’s so much more. Robyn is honest and humble, sharing with us her ups and downs as she found herself and started a family. It is clear Robyn is a sweet and generous soul and I loved the opportunity to peek into her life for a little while. Grab a copy here.
Shapes the Sunlight Takes, Josh Wagner
Lexie, a 15 year old outcast, believes she can see the future.
When her best friend’s dropout brother Derwin rides back into town, Lexie has a vision that he and her senior crush, Mirielle, are destined to have a child who will grow up to save the world. The problem is, Mirielle and Derwin hate each other. But Lexie believes it’s up to her to bring them together, if only for one night.
Shapes the Sunlight Takes is coming-of-age magical realism about the relationships we make with our past and future selves, where the search for perspective in a world of self-deception culminates in a final showdown between Lexie’s imagination and the fate of the universe.
This book is weird, but in a really fascinating way. There is a whole lot going on and the lines between reality and fantasy are sometimes blurred. Josh creates Lexie’s world with such clarity that I was wholly drawn in and enjoyed every moment hanging out there. I’m pretty sure there was also stuff going on in this book that I totally missed so I’ll be picking it up again soon. Check it out here.
As a Decade Fades, Joshua Fields Millburn
People don’t know how to love the ones they love until they disappear from their lives.
As he approaches thirty, Jody Grafton’s career as a singer-songwriter falls apart: he loses his record deal, his money, his fame—even his desire to create new music. While he stares at the rubble of his one-hit-wonder musical career, his mother is diagnosed with lung cancer, and his marriage ends abruptly…Amid the tailspin, Jody receives a phone call from his recently estranged girlfriend: she’s pregnant.
As a Decade Fades begins with this phone call. As his twenties twilight, Jody Grafton grapples with loneliness, depression, lust, and infatuation while glancing at the mounting wreckage in his rearview. When he can’t fit—or force—the pieces of his life back together, he leaves his native Ohio to search for answers in the most unlikely of places.
This a book is thoughtful and beautifully-crafted, a work of fiction by one half of The Minimalists. Josh has often spoken of his love of writing and this book demonstrates how well he has honed his writing skill. He has a literary style that may not suit everyone but I love it. Jody is imperfect and sympathetic and I found myself thinking about his journey long after I finished the book. Get yours here.
These are just some of the top notch books available from Asymmetrical and there is a bunch more where they came from. Definitely take some time today to check out their catalogue and pick up a title or two — you won’t be disappointed.
