'These are stories to shout about. They are boldly, daringly original without being difficult to understand -- no mean feat. The first-person voice, a common feature of writing these days, is made to do unexpected things, to behave in unexpected ways.'

Nikki Abraham writes of Kelley Aitken's stories: `These are stories to shout about. They are boldly, daringly original without being difficult to understand -- no mean feat. The first-person voice, a common feature of writing these days, is made to do unexpected things, to behave in unexpected ways. Yet it feels so natural, so unforced, that it is only afterwards the realization comes: that was amazing!`

Born in British Columbia, Kelley Aitken now lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Kelley Aitken's profile page

• Short-listed, Commonwealth Best First Book / Canada & Caribbean

'The warm climate in these tales is often literal, but always figurative; whether in a steamy river delta, or Andean chill, Aitken's women live among a people whose generosity often vies with scorching need, and a fierce love/hate for ''el mundo primero''. Writing from that first world, Aitken explores her subject with grace, keen perception and ... a gratifying absence of writerly display. Her expatriate Canucks, Yanks and Brits are suitably flawed without being caricatures. Her Ecuadorians live fully and variously in their richly evoked landscape, and during tense or celebratory or erotic moments their self-professed sangre caliente bubbles without authorial condescension.'

Globe & Mail