All the Orphans in the Galaxy is my debut novella, published in November 2022 by Glasgow-based indie publisher Speculative Books.

All the Orphans in the Galaxy follows two parallel and interlocking stories. In the wake of a personal tragedy, a teenage girl in contemporary Texas becomes obsessed with VHS recordings of a 1990s’ sci-fi show. At a space station in a distant future, a young woman, who calls herself Carly Simon, plays 1960s’ protest songs on an old acoustic guitar and has an unexpected meeting with a disgraced former soldier. Isolation, grief, personal and political histories weave together in this playful, post-modern novella, which explores the power of storytelling to connect us with each other. 

‘Gorgeously geeky and beautifully heartstring-tugging, All the Orphans is a deep space love song to the redemptive power of art.’ – Zoe Strachan

‘Vibrant, pacy…a space narrative which deftly puts ‘being human’ in perspective. A funny, insightful and sometimes poignant tale from a compelling new voice in Science Fiction!’ – Sandra Ireland

‘This is a wonderful novella that is simply and exquisitely formed…Carly Brown has written for us a playful, sad, sexy set of tipping-point stories and I encourage you to drop what you’re doing and treat yourself to All the Orphans in the Galaxy.’ – Elizabeth Reeder

How to order a copy:

You can buy it online right here on the Speculative Books website. Both physical and ebook copies available. They ship internationally.

Alternatively, you can order a copy from one of my favorite independent bookshops: Typewronger Books in Edinburgh. Get in touch with them here. They will post to anywhere in the UK and worldwide. (And they offer free delivery to Edinburgh residents!)