Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Personal Effects |
2014 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Cinderland |
2014 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Shiner |
2020 |
Buy |
| Mercury |
2024 |
Buy |
Amy Jo Burns is an American writer from western Pennsylvania whose work draws heavily on the landscapes and communities of Appalachia. Her first book, the memoir Cinderland (2014), recounts her experiences growing up in a small industrial town and confronting a trusted authority figure who abused his position. The book received strong reviews for its honest, unflinching voice.
Burns turned to fiction with Shiner (2020), a novel set in a remote mountain community where a young woman questions the faith-healing traditions that define her family. Her second novel, Mercury (2024), takes place in a small Pennsylvania town and follows a mother at a crossroads. Both novels explore what it means for women to find their own paths in places where tradition holds strong. Burns’s writing is rooted in specific places and people, with prose that stays close to the ground and avoids easy answers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Amy Jo Burns written?
Amy Jo Burns has written four books across three series.
What was Amy Jo Burns's first book?
Amy Jo Burns’s first book is Cinderland, published in 2014.
What are Amy Jo Burns's novels about?
Burns’s novels are set in rural Appalachia and focus on women navigating tight-knit, often restrictive communities. Shiner (2020) follows a young woman in a snake-handling church community, while Mercury (2024) centers on a mother in a small Pennsylvania town making difficult choices about family and independence.