Nancy Zafris at the Porches, a Writing Retreat in Rural Virginia

This is a splendid opportunity for anyone with a literary manuscript that needs a critical eye. Nancy Zafris, novelist, short story writer, series editor for the Flannery O'Connor Award (and for nine years fiction editor at the Kenyon Review) is leading a 3 day retreat at the Porches in rural Virginia this September. More anon.

Black Elvis by Geoff Becker and The Bigness of the World by Lori Ostlund Take the Flannery O'Connor Award for Publication in 2009

Re: The Flannery O'Connor Award, for which I served as one of the first three judges. Series editor Nancy Zafris has selected two winners, and I'm delighted to say that one of them, Black Elvis, was in my very own Himalaya, I mean, pile of submissions (pictured left). As I plowed through, I had no idea who the authors were--- the manuscripts came to me (as to all the judges) stripped of names, addresses or any other identifying information. Well, now that's official, I know who wrote the zing-on fabulous Black Elvis. Geoffrey Becker, congratulations!

The other winner, The Bigness of the World by Lori Ostlund, was in the pile that went to my fellow judge, G.C. Waldrup. I am very much looking forward to reading it.

Runner-up was Mattaponi Queen by Belle Boggs.

More anon.

Blogging the Flan, Part I

Light blogging this week because, among eleven thousand other things, I'm serving as one of the (three) pre-judges for this year's Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction. Our task is to select 7 - 10 semi-finalists each; Nancy Zafris, the series editor, will select the winners. Don't let anyone say Americans don't care about literature! Some fifteen boxes have yielded an unholy mountain of mansucripts, now piled up on the floor and chairs in my dining room (the table itself couldn't take all the weight). More anon.

P.S. "So You Want to Be a Writer" by Charles Bukowski.

Flannery O'Connor Award

The fabulous Nancy Zafris is the new Flannery O'Connor Award in Short Fiction series editor-- here's an excerpt from her bio:

Her most recent novel is Lucky Strike, a Book Sense notable pick. She has also published The Metal Shredders, a New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Her first book, The People I Know, won the Flannery O'Connor Award as well as the Ohioana Library Association award. She was the fiction editor of the Kenyon Review for nine years before becoming the Flannery O'Connor Award series editor. For more information about Nancy, visit her web site at www.nancyzafris.com

And along with G.C. Waldrep and Jane McCafferty, Yours Truly is serving as one of the judges this year. For those thinking to submit a manuscript: Nancy asked me a few questions here.