Ten writers onstage looking serious,even somber….perhaps anticipating an expontential rise in expectation? Each talented (and lucky) winner of a Whiting Writers’ Award takes home $50,000 and joins the ranks of Denis Johnson, Jorie Graham, Villiam T. Vollman, Sarah Ruhl, Mark Doty, Jeffrey Eugenides, Colson Whitehead, and the late David Foster Wallace.
The Whiting Class of 2008, announced last night:
Mischa Berlinski (“Fieldwork,” working on a second novel, “Peacekeeping”).
Rick Hilles (“Brother Salvage”).
Donovan Hohn (essays in Harpers—“Moby-Duck”—Agni, The New York Times Magazine, first book due in 2010).
Douglas Kearney (“Fear, Some” and, due in 2009, “The Black Automaton”).
Laleh Khadivi (“The Age of Orphans,” due in 2009).
Manuel Munoz (“Zigzagger,” “The Faith Healer of Olive Avenue”).
Dael Orlandersmith (“Yellowman,” “The Gimmick,” “Beauty’s Daughter”).
Benjamin Percy, (“The Language of Elk,” “Refresh, Refresh,” novel in the works).
Julie Sheehan (“Thaw,” “Orient Point”).
Lysley Tenorio (recently completed short story collection includes Nelson Algren award winning story published in “The Chicago Tribune,” others published in “The Atlantic,” “Ploughshares,” “Manoa”).