Unsolicited Press Announces the Release of That Very Place by Mary Ann McGuigan
Unsolicited Press is proud to announce the publication of That Very Place ($18.95), a new short story collection by acclaimed writer Mary Ann McGuigan, whose work has appeared in The Sun, Massachusetts Review, North American Review, and more.
The characters in That Very Place find themselves in settings—both familiar and strange—where they’d rather not be. Each is either chasing or fleeing someone, bound by ties they cannot escape: an unwanted child, an unloving parent, or the haunting echo of what might have been. Long-avoided troubles resurface, stirring turmoil and forcing them to confront both the damage they’ve inflicted and the pain they’ve carried too long.
Critics and fellow authors are already praising McGuigan’s collection for its emotional clarity, unflinching honesty, and haunting resonance:
“McGuigan masterfully explores the tender space between connection and estrangement, the cost of words unspoken, and the reverberating legacy of parents who abandon and abuse their children and the children who turn away. McGuigan’s prose is unflinching, precise and dreamlike.” —Sonja Livingston, author of Ghostbread
“These are glorious stories… McGuigan has a keen eye for the compromises and accommodations we make when duty collides with yearning.” —Lee Martin, author of The Bright Forever
“Her characters are utterly compelling and so complex… The collection is a deeply moving descent into the human heart and all of its conflicts, mysteries, failures, and triumphs.” —David Jauss, author of Glossolalia: New & Selected Stories
“Written with compassion and skill, these stories are filled with honesty, sensitivity, and ultimately hope.” —Dinty W. Moore, author of The Mindful Writer
With prose that is at once lyrical and exacting, McGuigan invites readers into lives shaped by rupture, regret, and resilience. That Very Place resonates with anyone who has grappled with the complicated bonds of family, memory, and survival.
About the Author
Mary Ann McGuigan’s short fiction appears in The Sun, Massachusetts Review, North American Review, and many other journals. Her collection Pieces includes stories nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. Her essays appear in Brevity, The Rumpus, X-R-A-Y, The Citron Review, and others. The Junior Library Guild and the New York Public Library rank McGuigan’s young-adult novels among the best books for teens, and Where You Belong was a finalist for the National Book Award. She shares her work and insights through her monthly newsletter at www.maryannmcguigan.com.
Book Details
Title: That Very Place
Author: Mary Ann McGuigan
Genre: Fiction (Short stories)
Publication Date: September 9, 2025
Price: $18.95
ISBN: 978-1-963115-46-8
Publisher: Unsolicited Press
Purchase Link: https://www.unsolicitedpress.com/shop/p/thatveryplace
