Past CWW award winners and former CWW board members are among this year’s Wisconsin Library Association Award winners.
The following is copied from the Wisconsin Library Association’s Facebook page:
“The Wisconsin Library Association Announces Nicholas Petrie’s The Drifter As The Literary Award Winner For 2017
“The Literary Awards Committee of the Wisconsin Library Association has chosen Nicholas Petrie’s The Drifter as the Literary Award winner for 2017. The award is for the highest literary achievement by a Wisconsin author for a work written in 2016.
“Nicholas Petrie’s debut novel is an exciting thriller that introduces Peter Ash, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, who comes home from the wars with post-traumatic stress and a mission to help a Marine friend’s widow rebuild an old porch at her home. What he finds under there, a mean ugly dog and a suitcase full of cash and explosives, sends him on an adventure through the city of Milwaukee. Petrie combines the usual elements of a suspense mystery novel with insightful reflections on how returning veterans cope with fitting in again to “normal” society.
“Nicholas Petrie lives in Whitefish Bay, a suburb of Milwaukee with his wife and family. He has been a carpenter, remodeling contractor and now works as a building inspector when he is not writing his next novel.
“The Literary Awards Committee also selected eight books by Wisconsin authors for Outstanding Achievement. These titles, all published in 2016, are:
• Bertrand Court by Michelle Brafman
• Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond
• The Excellent Lombards by Jane Hamilton
• The Hemingway Thief by Shaun Harris
• A Hard and Heavy Thing by Matthew Hefti
• The Silver Man by Peter Shrake
• Modern Lovers by Emma Straub
• As Good As Gone by Larry Watson
“Additionally, the Committee recognized six works of Outstanding Poetry. These titles are:
• Six True Things by Robin Chapman
• Fill in the Blank by Naomi Cochran
• Transit of Venus by Susan Firer
• Bloodroot by Catherine Jagoe
• The Swimmer by John Koethe
• Firstborn by Franco Pagnucci
“Lastly, the Literary Awards Committee chose three authors as Notable Wisconsin Authors this year. This award recognizes an author’s entire body of work and is designed to promote greater awareness of the state’s literary heritage. This year’s Notable Authors are:
• Beth Amos
• Victoria Houston
• Sarah Monette
“The 2017 Literary Awards Committee members are librarians and trustees from around the state. For more information about the Literary Awards, visit http://wla.wisconsinlibraries.org/read/awards.
“WLA is a professional organization representing all types of libraries – school, public, academic and special. Its membership comprises 1,500 librarians and support staff, library trustees, friends of libraries, and business vendors who advocate and work for the improvement of library services for all Wisconsin citizens.”
The Council for Wisconsin Writers congratulations one and all with special kudos to former CWW board member and past award recipient Robin Chapman, and past award recipients Catherine Jago, Susan Firer, and Major Achievement Award winner Jane Hamilton.
Please visit the Council for Wisconsin Writers website at www.wiswriters.org.