{"id":223,"date":"2018-12-31T11:18:27","date_gmt":"2018-12-31T11:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.etypegoogle10.com\/?p=223"},"modified":"2018-12-31T11:18:27","modified_gmt":"2018-12-31T11:18:27","slug":"7-19-15-news-briefs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.etypegoogle10.com\/?p=223","title":{"rendered":"7.19.15 News Briefs"},"content":{"rendered":"
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AROUND THE TOWN<\/h1>\n

Fadiman, Ehrenreich, Tizon featured
at 2015 Mayborn Conference<\/h1>\n

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Literary journalist Anne Fadiman <\/span>(above, signing books, and below, at lectern) <\/span>was one of the keynote speakers for the eleventh annual Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference, a forum for journalists, writers, readers, students, educators, and the general public to listen to, be inspired by and practice their craft at the highest possible level. This year\u2019s conference held July 17-19 in Grapevine, with the theme \u201cThe Great Divide,\u201d reflecting on the divide between the Haves and Have-Nots in American society and the social, economic, racial, cultural, and political fissures created by this divide. Other keynoters were authors Barbara Ehrenreich<\/span> and Alex Tizon.<\/span> Photos provided by the Mayborn Conference.<\/p>\n

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Writers’ League announces 2014 awards; McCracken, Morton, Post, Loftin, Ghandi\/Hegedus top winners<\/h1>\n

AUSTIN\u2014On July 13, 2015, the Writers\u2019 League of Texas<\/span> announced the winners and finalists of the 2014 Writers\u2019 League of Texas Book Awards, recognizing outstanding books of 2014, written by Texas authors, published in five categories.<\/p>\n

The winners in each category were Thunderstruck & Other Stories<\/span><\/a><\/span> by Elizabeth McCracken<\/span> (Fiction), Getting Life<\/span> by Michael Morton<\/span> (Nonfiction), Beast<\/span><\/a><\/span> by Frances Justine Post<\/span> (Poetry), Nightingale\u2019s Nest<\/span><\/a><\/span> by Nikki Loftin<\/span> (Middle Grade\/ Young Adult), and Grandfather Gandhi<\/span><\/a><\/span> by Arun Gandhi<\/span> and Bethany Hegedus<\/span> (Children\u2019s Picture Book). Each winner will receive a $1,000 cash prize and a commemorative award.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery year, countless important and worthy books by Texas writers are added to the literary landscape,\u201d says Becka Oliver, executive director of the Writers\u2019 League. \u201cThe Writers\u2019 League has a long tradition of supporting Texas writers and recognizing their valuable contribution to literature and these book awards are a wonderful opportunity for us to do both. We\u2019re so proud of this program and we offer our heartfelt congratulations to the 2014 honorees.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Writers\u2019 League of Texas, a statewide nonprofit founded in 1981 and currently with more than 1,300 members, launched its annual book awards, originally known as the Violet Crown Awards, in 1991. A few years later, the Teddy Children\u2019s Book Awards, honoring outstanding books for young readers, were established. In 2008, the two awards were renamed the Writers\u2019 League of Texas Book Awards. Starting in 2013 (and once again this year), five Discovery Prize Winners were named, with the judges in each of the five categories selecting a book independently published or published by a small press that they felt warranted special mention.<\/p>\n

The 2014 Writers’ League of Texas Book Awards<\/p>\n

(For books published in 2014)<\/p>\n

Fiction<\/span><\/p>\n

Winner: Thunderstruck & Other Stories<\/span><\/a><\/span> by Elizabeth McCracken<\/span><\/p>\n

Finalists:<\/p>\n

Remember Me Like This<\/span> by Bret Anthony Johnston<\/span><\/p>\n

Famous Writers I Have Known<\/span> by James Magnuson<\/span><\/p>\n

Night in Shanghai<\/span> by Nicole Mones<\/span><\/p>\n

Funny Once<\/span> by Antonya Nelson<\/span><\/p>\n

Discovery Prize Winner:<\/p>\n

To Hell and Gone in Texas<\/span> by Russ Hall<\/span><\/p>\n

Nonfiction<\/span><\/p>\n

Winner:<\/p>\n

Getting Life: An Innocent Man’s 25-Year Journey From Prison to Peace<\/span> by Michael Morton<\/span><\/p>\n

Finalists:<\/p>\n

Dr. M\u00fctter’s Marvels: A True Tale of Intrigue and Innovation at the Dawn of Modern Medicine<\/span> by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz<\/span><\/p>\n

The Boom: How Fracking Ignited the American Energy Revolution and Changed the World<\/span> by Russell Gold<\/span><\/p>\n

Rebel Yell: The Violence, Passion, and Redemption of Stonewall Jackson<\/span> by S.C. Gwynne<\/span><\/p>\n

Thirteen Days in September: Carter, Begin, and Sadat at Camp David<\/span> by Lawrence Wright<\/span><\/p>\n

Discovery Prize Winner:<\/p>\n

Small: Life and Death on the Front Lines of Pediatric Surgery<\/span> by Catherine Musemeche<\/span><\/p>\n

Picture Books<\/span><\/p>\n

Winner:<\/p>\n

Grandfather Gandhi<\/span> by Arun Gandhi<\/span> and Bethany Hegedus, <\/span>illustrated by Evan Turk<\/span><\/p>\n

Finalists:<\/p>\n

Mogie: The Heart of the House<\/span> by Kathi Appelt<\/span><\/p>\n

Attack! Boss! Cheat Code! A Gamer’s Alphabet<\/span> by Chris Barton<\/span><\/p>\n

Sleepyheads<\/span> by Sandra Howatt<\/span><\/p>\n

Discovery Prize Winner:<\/p>\n

Max, the Boy Raindrop<\/span> by Pamela Haskin<\/span><\/p>\n

Middle Grade\/Young Adult<\/span><\/p>\n

Winner:<\/p>\n

Nightingale’s Nest<\/span> by Nikki Loftin<\/span><\/p>\n

Finalists:<\/p>\n

Girls Like Us<\/span> by Gail Giles<\/span><\/p>\n

Rhyme Schemer<\/span> by K.A. Holt<\/span><\/p>\n

Side Effects May Vary<\/span> by Julie Murphy<\/span><\/p>\n

Discovery Prize Winner:<\/p>\n

There’s a Name for this Feeling \/ Hay un Nombre Para lo que Siento<\/span> by Diane Gonzales Bertrand<\/span><\/p>\n

Poetry<\/span><\/p>\n

Winner:<\/p>\n

Beast<\/span> by Frances Justine Post<\/span><\/p>\n

Finalists:<\/p>\n

Resurrection Party<\/span> by Michalle Gould<\/span><\/p>\n

The Wish Book<\/span> by Alex Lemon<\/span><\/p>\n

Lavando La Dirty Laundry<\/span> by Natalia Trevino<\/span><\/p>\n

Once in the West<\/span> by Christian Wiman<\/span><\/p>\n

Discovery Prize Winner:<\/p>\n

Something Smells Like Pee: and Other Classy Observations<\/span> by Blythe E. Jewell<\/span><\/p>\n

For more information contact Becka Oliver, becka@writersleague.org, 512-499-8914.<\/p>\n

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David Sedaris coming to Odessa Fri., Nov. 6<\/h1>\n

<\/span><\/span>Odessa College\u00a0 and the Odessa Council for Arts & Humanities are partnering to bring David Sedaris to Deaderick Auditorium on Friday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. The show is free to the public. Tickets will be available in August.<\/p>\n

(Information from Odessa Council for Arts & Humanities)<\/p>\n

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20 authors for 20 years: Texas Book Festival announces first set of featured authors for 2015<\/h1>\n

Margaret Atwood, Sandra Cisneros, Chuck Palahniuk, Wendell Pierce, Adrian Tomine, and more<\/h1>\n

AUSTIN\u2014In honor of its twentieth anniversary,<\/span> the Texas Book Festival is announcing twenty authors who will be featured at this year\u2019s Festival weekend, Oct. 17 and 18.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis year is going to be huge. And it should be, it\u2019s our twentieth anniversary!\u201d said literary director Steph Opitz. \u201cI’m so happy we can finally share a handful of the literary stars and soon-to-be-stars joining us this year. It\u2019s like a holiday gift list of incredible people. Looking for something for that gourmand friend? Check. Angsty tween who loves comics? Check. A twentysomething aspiring poet who’s read it all? Check. The family history buff? Check.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The 2015 Festival authors and their featured books<\/span> announced today are:<\/p>\n