Ellis's first novel, THE TEAHOUSE FIRE, is coming out this December from Riverhead Books. She is also the author of a nonfiction book, THE SMOKE WEEK (Gival Press, 2003), an award-winning personal account of life in Manhattan after 9/11.

Where there's SMOKE, there's FIRE: when Avery told poet friend Chris Nealon she didn't mean to give both books fiery titles, he said, "You're a redhead. Own it."

Avery's work has also appeared on stage at New York's Expanded Arts Theater and in print in Publishers Weekly, Kyoto Journal, and the Village Voice. In 2001, THREE LINES, ONE ROAD, a year's worth of daily haiku exchanged between Avery and Melissa Demian, was a finalist in the National Poetry Series.


A FIRST REVIEW FOR THE TEAHOUSE FIRE

Avery weaves... historical elements into a riveting story of love and betrayal. As in tea ceremony itself, there are many moments of great beauty. This is an impressive debut.
----------Suzanne Kamata, Japan Visitor


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