Adebut,interlinkedcollectionofstoriesexploringtheprimalnatureofwomen’sgrief--offeringinsightintotheprofoundexperienceoflossandtheabsurdwaysinwhichweseekcontrolinanunrulyworld.Seamlesslyshiftingbetweenthespeculativeandtheblindinglyreal,balancingthebizarrewiththesubtlebrutalityofthemundane,AManualforHowtoLoveUsisatenderportraitofwomentryingtheirbesttosurvive,love,andfindgenuinemeaningintheaftermathofloss.Intheseunconventionalandunpredictablyconnectedstories,ErinSlaughtershattersthestereotypeofthesoft-spoken,sorrowfulwomanindistress,queeringthedomesticandhonoringtheferalinallofus.Ineachstory,grievingwomenembracetheirwildestimpulsesastheyattempttomastertheirlives:onewomanbecomesa“gazer“atafraternityhouse,anotherslowlymovesintoherotherworldlystained-glassart,acouplespeaksonlyintheirbasement’sblackbox,andathruplemustdecidewhattodowhenonepartnerdisappears.ThewomeninErinSlaughter’sstoriessuffermessybreaks,whispersecretstotheghoststangledintheknotsoftheirhair,eatrawmeattocommunewiththeirinnerwolves,andbuilddeadlyMLMschemesalongtheGulfCoast.Setacrossoft-overlookedtownsintheAmericanSouth,AManualforHowtoLoveUsspotlightswomenwhoarelivingonthebrinkandclingingtoitsprecipitousedge.Lyricalandsurprisinglyhumorous,AManualforHowtoLoveUsisanexcitingdebutthatrevealsthestickycomplicationsoflivinginabody,inallitsgrotesquerieandglory.
