The Longest Man-Made Beach in the World: Biloxi Stories

Available for Purchase 1 March 2026

A mother and son search for a missing father in the seedy bars and strip clubs of Dixie Mafia-era Biloxi Beach. A grief-torn brother seeks solace in the post-Katrina ruins of a once-glamorous hotel. A ceremony honoring the 1960s civil rights wade-ins troubles a White woman’s conscience. A young, immigrant oyster cannery worker faces an impossible choice. Set against the bright sand, murky waters, and barrier islands of the Mississippi Gulf Coast, these eleven stories breathe life into working-class characters with their backs against the wall. Wracked by loss, regret, and desperation, they find slivers of grace where they least expect them.

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Reminds me why I love short stories . . . an exceptional debut

—Mary Miller, author of Biloxi: A Novel and Always Happy Hour: Stories

Reminiscent of John Steinbeck, James Agee, and Carson McCullers

—Melissa Pritchard, author of Flight of the Wild Swan and Palmerino

Amelia Franz knows place—its aromas, its accents, its people

—Jen Michalski, author of All This Can Be True

Sublime, tender stories . . . perfect as pebbles on a Gulf Coast beach

—Meri Robie, author of Wild Flowers

A deft ability to convey lives and worlds . . . vivid and strong

—Kirkus Reviews (Verdict: “Get It”)