A green praying mantis illuminated by sunlight on fly-screen mesh, in front of Merri's face (half-covered by shadow) and hand (with a gold ring on her middle finger)

Stories and poems

of the strange
beautiful
funny
and heartfelt

Holds Up When Shattered is published!

Merri Andrew’s debut poetry chapbook was published by Kith Books in April 2024.

'Holds Up When Shattered' captures an entwined fragility and endurance, exploring states of being that are familiar but elusive to easy definition. The imagery and narratives in this collection explore their tensions, along with family, co-existence, connection and disconnection, and changing senses of self. This is a voice to listen to, a collection to re-read and re-read.”

- Sarah St Vincent Welch, author of 'chalk borders'

Publisher’s listing:

In Holds Up When Shattered, Andrew writes into the breaking that comes with adulthood, the hard rush of insecurity and disorientation that fills in the corners when we leave child behind. These are poems of love, strength, and self finding: a search and tentative finding of self. Andrew’s eye for beauty and hope in all the small moments guides us through the turmoil of motherhood, marriage, and the building of home.

The cover photo of the book is by VL Parz.

Recent works

NEW: Care Versus The Pit

Story (fantasy, 2400 words)

An interstellar creature who feeds on kindness is stranded in our world. A child needs help, but can anyone save anyone, really?

Read the story at Hearth & Coffin

Content note: domestic abuse, child neglect, wildfires

NEW: A Dish for Moonlight

Story (fantasy, 860 words)

Sometimes a parent just needs to recharge (by absorbing the moon’s rays) and to know their children are safe (in an amber bubble crafted by magic).

Read the story at Bone Parade

Three white-peachy skinned fingers with short nails touching the scaly silver surface of a grass tree

These Folds (Us)

Story (slipstream, 600 words)

“The original command was, ‘Sit up straight. Good posture can do wonders, especially for a girl with your figure.’

As a command, it was simple, but it set off a cascade of controls that had lain dormant in the system.”

Read the full story at Corporeal

A wide-open hazel eye looks to the right of the viewer, surrounded by white-peachy-tan skin with silver-blue eyeshadow, under a dark, groomed eyebrow

Robot Duckling Learns the Land

Poem

“…the land is alive more ways/than me, so I must be the robot//following the real mothers/who are multitudes of all genders/like casuarinas, lichen, turtles…”

Read the full poem at Strange Horizons

An open window looks onto a sunlit brick wall, in front of gauzy white curtains and an unmade bed

Birds Are Not The Village

Story (fantasy, 2860 words)

Desperate for sleep, a new mother seeks help from a flock of birds, but what will be the cost?

Read the full story at Luna Station Quarterly

Content note: Consideration of infant death

Telephone and power poles and lines in front of a hazy green mountain, blue sky and fluffy white clouds

Call Back

Poem

“Call this back to me, come on / here buried in shed husks / of ideas about actions / What took flight? Good ideas// Call back a bright wind / and I’ll let go the simple tears”

Read the full poem at Baby Teeth

Thick grasses with small purple flowers form a kind of dark tunnel, in front of gum trees, and light from the blue sky with clouds

The Quiet House

Story (science fiction, 3500 words)

Survivors of the climate crisis gather stories to trade for life-giving help from interstellar sapients. Tommo’s story is hidden in a southern forest, until he begins to uncover the remnants of an ancient road.

Read the full story at Five on the Fifth

The moon shining through fluffy clouds

High View

Poem

“The flock now: / mass turns air about, / a set of spots emptied.// They vacate the / still breathable.// Lice, feathers, apparatus…”

Read the full poem at Baby Teeth

Lush bulbs of pink and yellow flowers, the central one of which has green leaves growing up through its middle, surrounded by green foliage

Bunching Up For The Photo

Poem

“Down here it’s our skin/that tracks heat, warm arms/push on each other//hips bump, eight thighs hold up/the canopy of our faces/turning to light”

Read the full poem at Unstamatic

Torn grey shade-cloth with holes in the shape of two eyes and a wide cartoonish mouth

Feet In Socks

Story (science fiction, 720 words)

An undercover being poses as a UNESCO project manager to gather valuable intelligence (in the form of homey sayings).

Read the full story in Antipodean SF

A young boy's face, looking through glass marked with concentric circles, his nose pressing against the middle

Conversation

Poem

“WHERE IS HE NOW?/I am screaming/in my head/ WHERE IS HE NOW?/ he is also screaming/in his head /maybe”

Read the full poem at Zero Readers

Peachy-brown fingers hold a tiny sprig of wildflowers, in front of a car's dashboard and windscreen, road outside and ocean beyond

The Tlochkl Harvesters

Story (fantasy, 4300 words)

Taril is convinced he is doing the right thing: harvesting energy from distressed people to turn against the forces that harm them. After he meets Linda, whose methods are different, he is not so sure.

Read the full story at Daikaijuzine

Lush bulbs of pink and yellow flowers, the central one of which has green leaves growing up through its middle, surrounded by green foliage

Bunching Up For The Photo

Poem

“Down here it’s our skin/that tracks heat, warm arms/push on each other//hips bump, eight thighs hold up/the canopy of our faces/turning to light”

Read the full poem at Unstamatic

Torn grey shade-cloth with holes in the shape of two eyes and a wide cartoonish mouth

Feet In Socks

Story (science fiction, 720 words)

An undercover being poses as a UNESCO project manager to gather valuable intelligence (in the form of homey sayings).

Read the full story in Antipodean SF

A young boy's face, looking through glass marked with concentric circles, his nose pressing against the middle

Conversation

Poem

“WHERE IS HE NOW?/I am screaming/in my head/ WHERE IS HE NOW?/ he is also screaming/in his head /maybe”

Read the full poem at Zero Readers

Peachy-brown fingers hold a tiny sprig of wildflowers, in front of a car's dashboard and windscreen, road outside and ocean beyond

The Tlochkl Harvesters

Story (fantasy, 4300 words)

Taril is convinced he is doing the right thing: harvesting energy from distressed people to turn against the forces that harm them. After he meets Linda, whose methods are different, he is not so sure.

Read the full story at Daikaijuzine