The Small Backs of Children by Lidia Yuknavitch

In this daring novel, Yuknavitch takes a provocative look at the intimate relationship among love, art, and sex in a group of emotionally scarred artists who want to save one of their own. The Small Backs of Children is written in the voices of characters without first names—photographer, writer, poet, performance artist, playwright, filmmaker, and painter—the novel begins in modern Eastern Europe (likely Lithuania), occupied by an unseen force, where a photojournalist captures an award-winning shot: a young girl running from her exploding home, in which the rest of her family dies. The girl escapes into the woods, making her way to a widow's home; the widow teaches her about art, and the girl begins to paint. Meanwhile, an American writer who is friends with the photographer, is hospitalized with severe depression. The writer's best friend, a poet, believes she can help the writer; she enters the war zone to bring the orphaned girl to the United States. Yuknavitch's novel is disturbing and challenging, but undoubtedly leaves its mark. (Publisher Weekly Reviews)

Debut Novel by Courtney Maum

Courtney Maum's debut novel, I Am Having So Much Fun Here Without You, tracks the aftermath of two momentous decisions that Richard Haddon, a British artist living in Paris, has made; the first was his decision to betray his "avant-garde" ideals by painting a series of sentimental oil paintings (that end up being a big hit with customers) and the second was to betray his wife of seven years by having an affair. Once Richard's wife, Anne-Laure de Bourigeaud, finds out about his affair, she sends him packing and is determined not to let him know how crushed she truly is, even though he wants to rebuild what they once had.

"Equally funny and touching, the novel strikes deep, presenting a sincere exploration of love and monogamy. These characters are complex, and their story reflects their confusion and desire. As her story bounces through time and across continents (Richard and Anne met while students in the U.S.), Maum rarely loses focus. An impressive, smart novel." (Publishers Weekly Reviews)