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“A heartbreakingly resonant debut, The Turtle House is a tender, big-hearted story about women, family, and the complicated history of Texas. These characters, and their tentative, flawed stumblings toward grace, will stay with me.”—Elizabeth Wetmore, author of Valentine

“Sweeping yet intimate, Amanda Churchill’s Turtle House spans cultures and continents. Minnie and her granddaughter Lia are unforgettable protagonists, whose grit and grace will inspire you. Together, they find a way through in this gripping debut.”—Vanessa Hua, author of Forbidden City

Spanning from late 1990s small-town Texas to pre-World War II Japan and occupied Tokyo, this emotionally engaging literary debut follows a grandmother and granddaughter who bond over a beloved lost place and the secrets they share.

In spring 1999, 25-year-old Lia Cope and her 73-year-old grandmother, Mineko, find themselves sharing a bedroom in Curtain, Texas. Both at turning points—Mineko, a Japanese war bride, displaced after a fire; Lia, an architect who’s returned home under mysterious circumstances—the two grow close through late-night conversations. Mineko recounts her early life in Japan, her love for Akio Sato, and the Turtle House, an abandoned estate where their relationship blossomed. As Mineko reveals her past, Lia begins to understand her grandmother’s sacrifices and sees her family anew, while confronting her own secrets.

When Mineko’s children plan to move her into assisted living, she and Lia hatch a plan to revive a cherished lost place, seeking safety and belonging together.
The Turtle House is a story of intergenerational friendship, family, identity, and love—illuminating the hidden lives we lead and what it means to find home again when it feels lost forever.

About the Author

Amanda Churchill is a writer living in Texas. Her novel, The Turtle House, was inspired by the life of her beloved grandmother, a Japanese war bride. Her work has been featured in Hobart Pulp, Witness, River Styx, and other publications. Amanda is a Writers’ League of Texas 2021 Fellow. She attended the 2021 Community of Writers workshop in fiction as a James D. Houston Memorial Scholarship recipient. She has also attended the Tin House Summer and Winter Conferences, the One Story Summer Workshop, and StoryBoard Chicago. She was a Fall 2020 mentee in AWP’s Writer to Writer program.