First Look: Avery Hill Publishing’s First Book of 2025 – ‘Second Shift’ By Kit Anderson

Out in June 2025 but previewed now – Second Shift is the sci-fi follow-up to Kit Anderson‘s powerful and personal short stories collection, Safer Spaces.

.As I always say, there are certain publishers who I always look forward to their latest releases. Avery Hill is definitely one of those. Whether I know the creator involved or not, I trust Avery Hill to pick the greatest talents, often unknown, lesser known, or new creators, to bring us great books. After all, this is where I first read the works of Tillie Walden, Zoe Thorogood, Rachael Smith, Tim Bird, Owen D Pomery, Nicole Goux, and so many more artists I’ve gone on to champion and to love.

So, after Avery Hill published Anderson’s first book, Safer Spaces, a beautiful and personal collection of short stories in 2024, it’s a pleasure to be able to tell you about Anderson’s next book, her first full-length graphic novel, out in June 2025, Second Shift.

It’s something different from Anderson, a thoughtful, intelligent bit of sci-fi, looking at what it means to be human in an alien world where AI and tech are ubiquitous.

Here’s the advanced PR from Avery Hill to give you an idea of what it’s all about…

‘Birdie Doran’s life on the station is the same routine every day… until she starts finding secrets in this science fiction graphic novel.

‘From the time when the station wakes her up, Birdie Doran is on the clock. It’s just her and one or two others on Terracorp’s isolated outpost, processing comets. So she slips into virtual reality, with the station creating adventures for her as she does repairs, routine maintenance, and checks the status on all the systems.

‘But when Birdie discovers another abandoned station just within walking distance of her own, she begins to question her isolation, and her own memories of what her job- and her life—really is. And at every turn, she starts finding the things the station has been hiding from her.

‘Ignatz Award-winning author Kit Anderson presents a psychological science fiction exploration of the lines between reality inside and outside the mind.’

As you can see, this one looks quite a delight, with Anderson another one of those great comic makers that Avery Hill are proud to publish and I take great pleasure in putting before you – mark your calendars, this one looks like a good ‘un.

Second Shift – by Kit Anderson
Published by Avery Hill Publishing on 5th June 2025

Now, a little preview of Second Shift…

Oh, and whilst you’re looking at this, do take a look at Anderson’s Safer Spaces, described by Avery Hill as…

‘From road trips to doctors’ offices to the mysterious spaces under the house, these short stories explore the secrets and magic typically unseen in everyday life. A walk through the forest, a family move, a day in a normal life—Anderson’s depictions of these ordinary moments transform them with a double-take, revealing the strangeness, surreality, and transformation within.

‘With powerful and personal emotional writing and art, thoughtfully combining magic and life as we all know it—these stories establish Kit Anderson as a presence in short comics-format fiction.’