Recommended Reading Paths
With a small but incredibly impactful bibliography, Calgary-born author Deborah Willis offers two distinct entry points depending on your reading preferences. Because her bibliography consists of one standalone novel and two short story collections, you don't need to worry about complex chronological timelines or sprawling multi-book series. Instead, you can choose your path based on format and tone.
Path 1: The Novelist's Path (Start with Girlfriend on Mars)
If you prefer long-form narrative arcs, contemporary social satire, and character-driven stories with a speculative edge, you should start with her debut novel, Girlfriend on Mars (2023). It is a sharp, modern story that balances laugh-out-loud humor with eco-anxiety, making it an excellent introduction to Willis's witty style.
Path 2: The Classic Short Story Path (Start with Vanishing and Other Stories)
If you are a fan of traditional literary fiction—especially in the vein of Alice Munro—start at the very beginning with Vanishing and Other Stories (2009). This collection showcases Willis's mastery of the short form, capturing the subtle, quiet moments of human connection and the weight of physical or emotional absence.
The "Mars" Connection: From Short Story to Novel
For readers who plan to tackle her entire body of work, there is a fascinating connection between her second short story collection and her debut novel. The title story "Girlfriend on Mars" first appeared as one of the thirteen pieces in her 2017 collection, The Dark and Other Love Stories. In that original short story, we are introduced to the core premise: a woman named Amber auditions for a corporate, billionaire-funded reality show aiming to send pioneers on a one-way trip to Mars, leaving her boyfriend Kevin behind on Earth to tend to their hydroponic marijuana business.
Willis later realized that the characters and the high-concept premise had more room to breathe. She expanded the short story into the full-length 2023 novel of the same name. If you read both, you will get to see how a brief, poignant character study grew into a fully realized social satire about corporate greed, environmental degradation, and the absurdity of modern fame. You can read the short story first to see the seeds of the idea, or jump straight into the novel for the complete, expanded experience.
Deborah Willis Books in Publication Order
If you prefer to see how Willis's style evolved over a decade, reading in publication order is highly recommended. Below is the complete bibliography of her published books:
- Vanishing and Other Stories (2009) – Her debut collection of 14 short stories exploring themes of loss, disappearance, and emotional distance.
- The Dark and Other Love Stories (2017) – Her second collection of 13 stories, ranging from realistic domestic dramas to speculative elements and odd connections.
- Girlfriend on Mars (2023) – Her debut full-length novel, expanding on her earlier short story about a reality TV show competition to colonize the Red Planet.
An In-Depth Look at the Books
Vanishing and Other Stories (2009)
Willis's debut collection established her as a major new voice in Canadian literature. The 14 stories contained within the book are quiet, precise, and deeply empathetic. The title story, "Vanishing," focuses on a daughter named Tabitha searching for clues about her father, a writer who disappeared. Other standout tales include a young ice-cream scooper named after Nina Simone, a French teacher with a habit of collecting fiancés, and an aging cowboy seduced by a city girl after his wife departs. Across all these stories, Willis examines the empty spaces left behind when people leave our lives, whether through death, divorce, or simple drifting away.
The Dark and Other Love Stories (2017)
Eight years after her debut, Willis returned with a collection that took a slightly darker, more diverse approach to relationships. These 13 stories investigate love in its many unconventional forms: obsession, codependency, and even the bond between a lonely man and a crow. It includes stories like "I Am Optimus Prime," "Welcome to Paradise," and the original short version of "Girlfriend on Mars." The collection proved that Willis could seamlessly blend traditional realism with magical realism and light science fiction without losing her signature emotional depth.
Girlfriend on Mars (2023)
In her debut novel, Willis takes the premise of her 2017 short story and expands it into a multi-layered critique of modern culture. The novel is told from the alternating perspectives of Amber, who is competing on the reality show MarsNow, and Kevin, who watches her star rise from the couch of their Vancouver apartment while sinking deeper into weed-fueled agoraphobia. It is a hilarious yet devastating look at how climate change and late-stage capitalism affect our personal relationships, asking what it means to love someone when the world itself feels like it is ending.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into Deborah Willis's work, it helps to understand her literary heritage and geographic settings. Having worked as a bookseller at the historic Munro's Books in Victoria, British Columbia, for seven years, Willis was heavily influenced by the masters of Canadian short fiction. Her writing shares the sharp observation of domestic life found in Alice Munro's work, but with a distinctly modern, slightly strange edge.
Most of her stories are grounded in the geography of Western Canada, particularly Calgary, Vancouver, and Vancouver Island. However, she frequently uses these local backdrops to explore universal human experiences, ensuring her books resonate with readers all over the world.