This Is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things

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Naomi Wood is the award-winning author of three novels, including the bestselling Mrs. Hemingway. Her stories have been published in the Mid-American Review, Washington Square Review, Joyland and Stylist, and have been shortlisted for the Manchester Fiction Prize, the London Magazine Short Story Prize and longlisted for the Galley Beggar Press Story Prize. 'Comorbidities' won the 2023 BBC National Short Story Award. She lives in Norwich with her family, and teaches Creative Writing at UEA.

WINNER OF THE BBC NATIONAL SHORT STORY AWARD In my life, I had always been a good woman; controlling what it was that I wanted. But recently, I had started to notice my bad energy, and I began to follow it, wondering where it would take me . . . A mother has an unexpected outburst at a corporate therapy session for working parents. A couple find some long-overdue time to rekindle their relationship and make an ill-advised home movie. A pregnant film director plots revenge on the actress who betrayed her. A woman deliberately causes conflict at her ex's wedding. These powerful and funny stories illuminate the lives of untamed women. They explore how society wants women to behave and what happens when they refuse . . . 'Humane and very funny' JESSIE BURTON 'Clever and illuminating' LUCY CALDWELL 'Witty and biting and brilliant' I PAPER 'Read it and riot' MARIANNE LEVY

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