“Jen Grow’s astonishing collection explores what we think we want, what we think we need–and what we end up with, in language as burnished and gorgeous as a ruby. Filled with a myriad cast of dreamers, housewives and lost souls, all desperate to renovate their lives—or at least understand them—these stories are both a meditation on escape and a testament to that fragile miracle—hope.” — Caroline Leavitt, New York Times Bestselling author of Is This Tomorrow and Pictures of You

“Jen Grow’s stories are subtle, sophisticated, closely observed, and full of deep perception and real heart.” — Madison Smartt Bell

“Jen Grow writes with tremendous range and a gorgeous depth of feeling, elevating the story form to where it belongs. There is nothing slight in these stories and each is a world expertly, painfully rendered, leaving me feeling at once less alone in the world while opening me up to the myriad lives of others. An absolute gift of a book.”  — Paula Bomer, author of Inside Madeleine

“In My Life as a Mermaid, Jen Grow tenderly illuminates the world of frozen fish sticks, cheap liquor, truck-cab homes, game show television, and post-war traumas. There is grace in each one of these unforgettable and moving stories.” — Jessica Anya Blau, authore of The Wonder Bread Summer

“These sharp, beautiful stories are gem-like explorations of loneliness and longing, cast in prose that is rich with dark humor, danger, and sadness. My Life as a Mermaid is an enchanting collection, and Jen Grow is a thrilling new talent.” — Laura van den Berg, author of The Isle of Youth and Find Me

“Winner of the Dzanc Books Short Story Competition, this stunning collection introduces an important new voice in American fiction. The characters—among them a suburban wife, an alcoholic mother, two homeless men, and an injured veteran—grapple with being voiceless and feeling trapped.”