Picture an American storyteller who weaves reality and fantasy into tales that linger like a half-remembered dream—meet Amy Bonnaffons! This Yale-educated fiction writer, now crafting stories in Athens, Georgia, has captured readers with her playful yet profound narratives. From her debut collection The Wrong Heaven to her haunting novel The Regrets, Bonnaffons explores the messy beauty of human connection, transformation, and the spaces between life and death.
The Making of Amy Bonnaffons
Born in New York City, Amy Bonnaffons grew up with a love for stories that led her to a literature degree at Yale University. Her passion for Japanese literature and comparative studies hinted at her future knack for blending cultures and ideas. After earning an MFA in Creative Writing from NYU, she honed her craft, publishing in prestigious outlets like The New York Times and Kenyon Review. In 2015, she moved to Athens, Georgia, to pursue a PhD in English and Women’s Studies at the University of Georgia, where she continues to shape her unique voice.
Amy Bonnaffons’s Unforgettable Stories
Bonnaffons’s debut, The Wrong Heaven (2018), is a short story collection that dances between the real and the fantastical. In one story, a woman undergoes injections to become a horse, while another features talking Jesus and Mary lawn ornaments. Critics, including Kevin Wilson, praised its bold inventiveness, comparing it to the works of George Saunders. Her 2020 novel, The Regrets, dives into a surreal love story between a living woman and a man stuck in limbo after death. Described by NPR as a “miracle of a love story,” it explores love, loss, and the bureaucracy of the afterlife with wit and heart.
Her writing style is a delightful mix of magical realism, humor, and raw emotion. Bonnaffons tackles big questions—how do we escape ourselves? What lies beyond the mundane?—while grounding her stories in relatable human struggles. As a co-founder of 7x7.la, a journal pairing writers with visual artists, she champions creative collaboration, reflecting her belief in art’s power to connect and transform.
Why Amy Bonnaffons Matters
Amy Bonnaffons’s work resonates because it dares to blur boundaries—between life and death, reality and fantasy, humor and heartbreak. Her stories invite readers to question the ordinary and embrace the strange, making her a fresh voice in contemporary fiction. As Interim Associate Prose Editor at The Georgia Review, she nurtures new talent, ensuring her influence extends beyond her pages. For fans of magical realism and introspective narratives, Bonnaffons is a must-read.
- Key Works: The Wrong Heaven (2018), The Regrets (2020)
- Education: BA from Yale, MFA from NYU, PhD candidate at University of Georgia
- Notable Recognition: 2010 RRofihe Trophy Short Story Award for “The Wrong Heaven”
Ready to lose yourself in a world where the impossible feels real? Grab The Wrong Heaven or The Regrets and dive into Amy Bonnaffons’s mesmerizing blend of magic and meaning!