Everything Feels Like the End of the World

The work is composed of thirty-seven short stories, some very short, most of which reflect the title and show the impact of climate change. Two stories, set further in the future are somewhat different. “All the Parts, Assembled” (181-193) is set during the “great exodus” from Earth to colonies that are described as pre-industrial. On Earth, population growth still outstrips the number leaving, and only those who can pay for the right are allowed to have children, and the children are created by genetic technology companies to the parents’ specifications. “The Gift” (209-218) is set in a future where a family must kill a family member for every child born. Some stories were previously published: “River” (1-9) published in Victorian Writer (2014) and in Award Winning Australian Writing (2015); “Feather/Stone” (12-18) ) published in Cardiff Review, Wales (2015) and in Offset Journal, awarded best prose award for that collection (2015); an extract from “Fertile Ground” (19-28) was published in The Guardian (2019); “Find you in green” (137-141) was published by Melbourne Knowledge Week (2018);“Whale Teeth” (145-151) published by Melbourne Knowledge Week (2017); “Felidae” (219-225) published in the Hunter Writers Centre Anthology (2018); and “Sheen” (241-248) was published in Joiner Bay & other stories, Margaret River Press (2017). “Final Broadcast” (235-240) is in English and zeros and ones and there is a note on page 252 that says, “To decode the Final Broadcast, go to elsefitzgerald.com/final-broadcast,” but that page has no way of doing so. 

“Final Broadcast” (235-240) is in English and zeros and ones, and there is a note on page 252 that says, “To decode the Final Broadcast, go to elsefitzgerald.com/final-broadcast,” but that page has no way of doing so.

Australian female author.