{"id":110,"date":"2019-07-17T18:17:52","date_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:17:52","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wcsu.wpengine.com\/news-archives\/2015housatonic-book-awards-winners\/"},"modified":"2019-07-17T18:17:52","modified_gmt":"2019-07-17T18:17:52","slug":"2015housatonic-book-awards-winners","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.wcsu.edu\/news-archives\/2015housatonic-book-awards-winners\/","title":{"rendered":"2015 Winners of 2015 Housatonic Book Awards announced"},"content":{"rendered":"
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DANBURY, CONN. <\/strong>\u2014 The Master of Fine Arts in Creative and Professional Writing<\/a> program at Western Connecticut State University<\/a> and its alumni organization, the M.F.A. Alumni Writers Collaborative, have announced the winners and finalists of the 2015 Housatonic Book Awards<\/a>. <\/p>\n

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Winners will appear at writing residencies of the WCSU M.F.A. in Creative and Professional Writing in 2016 for public readings and master classes on the university\u2019s Westside campus in Danbury.<\/p>\n

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According to Dr. Brian Clements, M.F.A. program coordinator, the Housatonic Book Awards recognize excellent writing by authors who also serve as role models for students interested in professional careers as writers. <\/p>\n

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\u201cStudents at WCSU and the regional community have the opportunity through these awards to hear, meet and work with some of the top writers of the day \u2014 an opportunity that isn\u2019t offered much in the area elsewhere. And our students have the opportunity to pick the brains of people who have gone through exactly the educational and professional growing pains that our students are experiencing.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The award series also helps to raise funds for the M.F.A. program\u2019s scholarship fund. <\/p>\n

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Dr. Joe Klemczewski, a graduate of the program and president of the MFA Alumni Writers Collaborative, said, \u201cI can say from personal experience that this program changes lives. By raising these scholarship funds through the book awards, we hope to be able to help more students reap the benefits of the program who might not have been able to do so otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n

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This year\u2019s fiction award was limited to nominations of genre fiction; in 2016, the fiction award will be open only to nominations of literary fiction. Guidelines for next year\u2019s awards will appear at https:\/\/housatonicbookawards.wordpress.com<\/a> in early 2016.<\/p>\n

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A complete list of winners and finalists follows.<\/p>\n

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Fiction (Genre Fiction)<\/strong>

\n Winner: \t\u201cRed 1-2-3,\u201d by John Katzenbach<\/a>, Grove Atlantic<\/p>\n

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Finalists:\t<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Rest Is Silence,\u201d by James Benn, Soho Press

\n \u201cThe Forgers,\u201d by Bradford Morrow, Grove Atlantic

\n \u201cThe Nature of Truth,\u201d by Sergio Troncoso, Arte Publico Press

\n \u201cIsland Fog,\u201d by John Vanderslice, Lavender Ink<\/p>\n

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Poetry<\/strong>

\n Winner: \t\u201cIf the Tabloids Are True What Are You?\u201d by Matthea Harvey<\/a>, Graywolf Press<\/p>\n

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Finalists:\t<\/p>\n

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\u201cTree Line,\u201d by Judy Halebsky, New Issues Press

\n \u201cBone Map,\u201d by Sara Eliza Johnson, Milkweed Editions

\n \u201cTo the Bramble and the Briar,\u201d by Steve Scafidi, University of Arkansas Press

\n \u201cComplicity,\u201d by Adam Sol, McClelland & Stewart<\/p>\n

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Nonfiction<\/strong>

\n Winner:\t\u201cThe Empathy Exams,\u201d by Leslie Jamison<\/a>, Graywolf Press<\/p>\n

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Finalists:\t<\/p>\n

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\u201cThrown,\u201d by Kerry Howley, Sarabande Books

\n \u201cPhoning Home,\u201d by Jacob Appel, University of South Carolina Press

\n \u201cFactory Man,\u201d by Beth Macy, Hachette Book Group

\n \u201cKnish: In Search of the Jewish Soul Food,\u201d by Laura Silver, Brandeis Press<\/p>\n

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Young Adult<\/span>

\n Winner: \t\u201cBeauty of the Broken,\u201d by Tawni Waters<\/a>, Simon Pulse<\/p>\n

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Finalists: \t<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Carnival at Bray,\u201d by Jessie Ann Foley, Elephant Rock Books

\n \u201cMending Horses,\u201d by M.P. Barker, Holiday House Books

\n \u201cRory\u2019s Promise,\u201d by Michaela MacColl and Rosemary Nichols, Boyds Mill Press

\n \u201cSteering Toward Normal,\u201d by Rebecca Petruck, Abrams Amulet Books<\/p>\n

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For more information, contact Clements at (203) 837-8876 or clementsb@wcsu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Western Connecticut State University offers outstanding faculty in a range of quality academic programs. Our diverse university community provides students an enriching and supportive environment that takes advantage of the unique cultural offerings of Western Connecticut and New York. Our vision: To be an affordable public university with the characteristics of New England’s best small private universities.<\/em><\/p>\n

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