The fifteen-story collection, newly available from Palmetto Publishing, blends action, romance, and biblical tragedy through narrators who break the fourth wall and challenge readers’ expectations at every turn.

CHARLESTON, S.C., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Palmetto Publishing has released Brechtian, a new flash fiction anthology by debut author Asher Rush. The collection brings together fifteen stories that span action, romance, and biblical tragedy, each told by narrators who interrupt themselves, argue with the reader, and pull back the curtain on their own storytelling.

The anthology opens with X, a self-described “near miss assassin” who wakes battered in a hospital bed, trading sharp dialogue with a nurse before he can feel his broken ribs. A trained killer who has never completed a single job, X is a walking contradiction whose trademark failures reveal themselves to be acts of quiet rebellion against the world that made him. From there, the collection moves through a villager hanged for the crime of honesty and a reluctant vampire cursed to become something far worse than what she already is.

As Brechtian shifts into its Romance and Love section, the stakes change shape but lose none of their weight. A Cupid who cannot fall in love, a wraith haunting a guilt-stricken preacher, a beast bargaining for his humanity, and a lonely tombstone named Epitaph who outlives every friend he makes all populate these pages. The collection closes with a retelling of the biblical prince Avshalom, a beautiful traitor reimagined with irreverence and heart, a son at war with his father in a rebellion born not of hatred but of love.

Asher Rush stated, “I loved the whimsy of Spaceballs and always wished to create my own satirical work. If the reader can be moved to tears, laughter, or joy even slightly, I have succeeded in my goal.”

Named for the theatrical tradition of Bertolt Brecht, which shatters the illusion of the stage to engage audiences on a deeper level, Brechtian applies that same philosophy to the page. The collection sits at the intersection of literary experimentation and accessible genre fiction, positioned for readers who enjoy the irreverent humor of Douglas Adams, the playful mythmaking of Christopher Moore, or the self-aware narration found in Tamsyn Muir’s Gideon the Ninth. It is a debut that speaks directly to the BookTok audience drawn to voice-driven, trope-savvy fiction.

Brechtian is available for purchase online at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com.

About the Author: Asher Rush is a writer and poet from West Orange, New Jersey, whose debut collection, Brechtian, showcases a distinctive voice that moves fluidly across genres. Raised in a family of teachers and lifelong readers, Rush brings a natural curiosity and literary sensibility to every page of this wide-ranging flash fiction anthology.

Rush’s passion for writing ignited in sixth grade, when a school assignment gave him the chance to have his work read and critiqued by a professional author. That early spark carried him through high school, where he joined his school’s poetry team and began honing his craft in verse. Poetry taught him economy and precision, skills that translate seamlessly into the compact, vivid stories of Brechtian. The collection spans hilarious farces, touching romances, philosophical explorations, and spiritual reflections, all united by Rush’s belief that a single book should offer readers genuine variety and value.

When he is not writing, Rush remains an avid reader with a taste for the eclectic, always drawn to stories that surprise and challenge. He credits his family’s love of books with shaping his own creative ambitions, and he approaches each new piece with the whimsy and curiosity he hopes his readers will bring as well.

About the Book:
Title: Brechtian
Author: Asher Rush
Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
ISBN-13: 9798318851308, 9798318851315

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SOURCE Palmetto Publishing