Jayne Anne Phillips, a native of Buckhannon, West Virginia, and the author of five acclaimed novels and six story collections, is one of seven authors to be elected for 2018 into the American Academy of Arts and Letters, one of the most prestigious literary awards available.
The Animators the first novel of Eastern Kentucky author, Kayla Rae Whitaker, made the Kirkus Reviews list of “The most overlooked books of 2017.”
Each month the American Booksellers Association puts out a list called the Indie Next Previews. Their January, 2019 list included Fire Sermon, the first novel by Jamie Quatro, the Lookout Mountain, Georgia, author whose short story collection, I Want to Show You More, had an unusually positive reception.
The Southern Independent Booksellers Association has announced the winners of its 2017 Southern Book Prize.
In Historical Fiction, the winner is Chasing the North Star by Robert Morgan
In Literary Fiction, the winner is Over the Plain Houses by Julila Franks. Fallen Land by Taylor Brown was a finalist.
In Creative Nonfiction, the winner is Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance. Poems: New and Selected by Ron Rash and Truevine by Beth Macy were finalists.
In Family Life Fiction, The Risen by Ron Rash was a finalist.
In Mystery & Detective Fiction, Prayers the Devil Answers was a finalist.
In Stories, Monsters in Appalachia by Sheryl Monks was a finalist.
In Biography, Autobiography, and Memoir, Dimestore by Lee Smith and My Father the Pornographer by Chris Offutt were finalists.
In Cooking, Victuals: An Appalachian Journey with Recipes by Ronnie Lundy was a finalist.