About
Ashley Farmer is the author of the essay collection Dear Damage (Sarabande Books, 2022), winner of the 2020 Series in Kentucky Literature, as well as three other books. Her work has been published in places like Gay Magazine, TriQuarterly, The Progressive, Santa Monica Review, Buzzfeed, Flaunt, Nerve, Potomac Review, Gigantic, Salt Hill Journal, DIAGRAM, and elsewhere. She is the recipient of Ninth Letter’s 2018 Literary Award in Creative Nonfiction, the Los Angeles Review’s 2017 Short Fiction Award, and fellowships from Syracuse University and the Baltic Writing Residency. Ashley lives in Salt Lake City, UT with the writer Ryan Ridge.
The New York Times, "Mourning Songs for Lives, and Art, That Could Have Been"
Buzzfeed, "17 Short Story And Essay Collections For When You Want To Laugh, Cry, Think, Or Swoon"
"Lyrical and poignant."
―Roxane Gay on "Mercy"
"Remembering an act of violence born not out of malice, but love, Farmer’s narrative is melancholic, but still full of hope."
―"Mourning Songs for Lives, and Art, That Could Have Been," by Kat Chow, The New York Times
"[G]ripping from the start...a truly unique and fascinating book."
―"17 Short Story And Essay Collections For When You Want To Laugh, Cry, Think, Or Swoon," Buzzfeed
"Poet Farmer (The Women) parses her complicated family history to create a heart-wrenching portrait of love, family, loss, and aging in this astounding collection.....In 'Mercy,' she writes, 'while I’m skeptical of mining beauty from pain... or landing on a diamond takeaway or even claiming good can come from it, I’ve learned that time-freezing anguish makes for micro-moments of unexpected reverence.' Farmer exceeds her intention; the moments she depicts teem with power. This potent work introduces Farmer as a writer to watch."
―Publishers Weekly starred review
"A slim...but striking book."
―Kirkus Reviews
The New York Times, "Mourning Songs for Lives, and Art, That Could Have Been"
Buzzfeed, "17 Short Story And Essay Collections For When You Want To Laugh, Cry, Think, Or Swoon"
"Lyrical and poignant."
―Roxane Gay on "Mercy"
"Remembering an act of violence born not out of malice, but love, Farmer’s narrative is melancholic, but still full of hope."
―"Mourning Songs for Lives, and Art, That Could Have Been," by Kat Chow, The New York Times
"[G]ripping from the start...a truly unique and fascinating book."
―"17 Short Story And Essay Collections For When You Want To Laugh, Cry, Think, Or Swoon," Buzzfeed
"Poet Farmer (The Women) parses her complicated family history to create a heart-wrenching portrait of love, family, loss, and aging in this astounding collection.....In 'Mercy,' she writes, 'while I’m skeptical of mining beauty from pain... or landing on a diamond takeaway or even claiming good can come from it, I’ve learned that time-freezing anguish makes for micro-moments of unexpected reverence.' Farmer exceeds her intention; the moments she depicts teem with power. This potent work introduces Farmer as a writer to watch."
―Publishers Weekly starred review
"A slim...but striking book."
―Kirkus Reviews