Short Stories

Rukmini Attygalle's debut collection of eleven stories reflect inner strength in times of need. They take the reader into the everyday lives of ordinary people; from a little girl asserting her independence with her family in England, to a newly widowed woman unexpectedly revisiting her past, to a surprising friend in a street beggar. Of Saris and Grapefruit is a collection that layers poignant textures and feelings from one story to another, that captures significant life changes with entertaining and revealing outcomes.

"Rukmini Attygalle's first published collection of short stories makes for delightful reading.... From them emerge a palpable freshness and feminine ingenuity." ~ Nanda Pethiagoda Wanasundera, Journalist and Author of Parallel Lives

"These stories are engaging and vibrant." ~ Leelananda de Silva, Public Servant, UN consultant, and Author of The Long Littleness of Life: a Memoir of Government, the United Nations, Family and Friends

 

"This collection of stories displays many clear insights, much deep feeling, and also an engaging sense of humour" ~ Michael O'Leary, Writer and Columnist

Zillij is a collection of short stories addressing and revolving around the question of identity, within an essentially Sri Lankan context.

Zillij is the captivating Islamic traditional art of creating intricate mosaic design using hand-cut tiles.

While most of this volume reflects aspects of Sri Lanka's ethnic and socio-economic struggles, these stories are not merely 'about' Sri Lanka.

Winner of the State Literary Award for Best Short Stories

Read an excerpt!

(Discounted as pages are slightly yellowed)

BAFTA award-winning film maker Asitha Ameresekere brings his extraordinary talents to the page with his startling, thought provoking and tender offering of stories.

Shakespeare has a writing block and Medusa just doesn't like her hairstyle – of course! BAFTA award-winning film maker Asitha Ameresekere brings his extraordinary talents to the page with his startling, thought provoking and tender offering of stories. Incredibly charming and beautifully written with a balance of pathos and humour, Ameresekere shows us that a chance encounter, a hidden revelation, or even an angel could reconfigure the world. Ameresekere reveals the idisocyincrasies and odd logic that rule our lives, making this stunning debut the work of a writer with a spectacularly original and compelling voice.

'Ameresekere's consummate awareness of what makes a good story, his quirky sense of humour, and his ability to supply many points of view in the telling-including that of a dog-disclose a complex literary sensibility that belies his neophyte status as a writer' – Professor S W Perera

'Ameresekere is incomparable to any other Sri Lankan author to be published in recent years. His stories are bound to appeal to local as well as international readers not only because they are set in a wide array of places, but because Ameresekere chooses his narrative style to harmonize with the place and culture he is representing, a trait seldom seen in other contemporary writers. For Sri Lankan fiction fans and short story lovers alike, Wedding Gifts and Other Presents will not fail to entertain, amuse and surprise with its unique entourage of characters humorous twists of fate' – Chalani Ranwala

Stories of hope and courage

Newly reprinted in 2022, this book is a collection of stories that reads like fiction but infact, reflects the lives of disabled individuals across the globe. Each story is narrated by a courageous individual who refused to be defined and shaped by a label or a medical diagnosis. These individuals choose life and living instead of doom and gloom. They are not international superstars but are stars nevertheless because they valiantly defied limitations imposed on them despite the odds that were stacked against them. The stories are a gift of hope and inspiration to the countless number of individuals with disabilities.

You too can overcome!

The stories also carry a loving message to parents, care-givers, teachers, health professionals, neighbors, family and friends.

Look beyond the disability and recognize the person who is struggling to emerge!

Read an excerpt!

Shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize

Ameena Hussein's debut collection of stories received critical acclaim as well as an instant following in popular readership. FIFTEEN is a collection of diverse, edgy, punchy stories that explore various aspects life, predominantly from a woman's perspective, grappling with various social, cultural and religious constraints