In February, Professor Julia Ridley Smith published her debut short story collection, Sex Romp Gone Wrong. This collection centers on “women and girls navigating relationships, love, desire, sex, motherhood, work, marriage, female friendship—and how messy those things can be.”
Drawing inspiration from her deep-seated love of “fiction with a strong voice, an eye for the absurd, a fascination with language, and interesting female characters,” Prof. Smith crafts a captivating collection that offers a vivid portrayal of the rich and unpredictable complexities of being socialized as a woman.
However, the path to this collection was not without its challenges. Prof. Smith said: “Each story presents its own challenges: Who are the characters? What’s the structure going to be? What’s the voice?” She emphasized the need for each story to stand out on its own, requiring her to approach each narrative with fresh eyes and a unique perspective.
Despite these difficulties, Prof. Smith finds enjoyment in this process: “For me, that’s also the exciting part—that every time you write a story, you have to discover what that story wants to be.”
Reflecting on her hopes for what her readers take away from this collection, Prof. Smith shared, “I hope they feel a sense of connection—that there’s something familiar and very human in these characters’ trouble and mixed emotions. I also hope readers laugh, because while some of these stories are sad, there’s humor in them as well.”
Congratulations Professor Smith!