Congratulations to former CWW board member and Wisconsin Poet Laureate Karla Huston on the selection of her book Grief Bone for an Outstanding Achievement Award from the Wisconsin Library Association. Anyone interested in more information about Karla, Grief Bone or her other publications, please go to karlahuston.com.
Mystery-Writing Nurse to Receive WLA Notable Author Award
Beth Amos aka Annelise Ryan aka Allyson K. Abbott — yes, Amos has three nom de plumes — is one of the three recipients of the Wisconsin Library Association’s 2017 Notable Author Award.
Amos of Stoughton, who is an emergency room nurse, writes mysteries under all three names.
The other two recipients are Victoria Houston of Rhinelander and Sarah Monette who lives in the Madison area.
These three writers and other WLA award recipients will be honored on Thursday during the association’s annual conference in the Wisconsin Dells.
Among those recipients is former Council for Wisconsin Writers Board Member poet Robin Chapman for her Six True Things, as well as a number of current and past CWW award winners.
Debut Novelist Takes Top WLA Award
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.
Bird Flew Away, But Book Wins Award
Wisconsin’s writers for young people get more recognition. Here’s news from the Wisconsin Library Association about authors whose books for children that organization has recognized.
Topping the list is Wisconsin native, now Chicago resident, Crystal Chan. He book Bird received WLA’s 2015 Elizabeth Burr/Worzalla Award, which is presented annually by the Children’s Book Award Committee of the WLA’s Youth Services Section “to the most distinguished work in literature written and/or illustrated by a Wisconsin book creator,” according to the WLA release.
Another huge honor went to Ann Bausum who was named Notable Author “for her contribution to the world of children’s literature.” Most of Ann’s many books, primarily about historical events and people, are published by National Geographic. Her Muckrakers: How Ida Tarbell, Upton Sinclair, and Lincoln Steffens Helped Expose Scandal, Inspire Reform, and Invent Investigative Journalism received the Council for Wisconsin Writers’ 2007 Tofte/Wright Children’s Literature Award.
Ann’s recently published Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I’s Bravest Dog is one of five books written and/or illustrated by Wisconsinites that the WLA selected for Outstanding Achievement in children’s literature.
The others are:
- The Hula Hoopin’ Queen written by Thelma Lynne Godin
- This is a Moose illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
- Kate Walden Directs: Night of the Zombie Chickens written by Julie Mata
- Here Comes the Easter Cat written by Deborah Underwood
CWW congratulations them all!
See more about CWW contests and awards at www.wiswriters.org.
Former Wisconsinite Receives Library Award
He lives in Oregon now, but Eloit Treichel grew up in the Fox River Valley. His collection of short stories, compiled in Close is Fine and published last year, has been honored by the Wisconsin Library Association. Here’s the link to the story:
More news and information about Wisconsin writers is at www.wiswriters.org.
CWW Award Winner Gene DeWeese Takes Final Trek
Three-time Council for Wisconsin Writers award winner, New York Times bestselling author and a Wisconsin Library Association “Notable Wisconsin Writer” Gene DeWeese lived up to his self-applied procrastinator reputation to the end. A memorial service for the 78-year-old Milwaukeean was scheduled for nearly two months after his March 19 death. At least, that’s what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported his obituary today. You can read about DeWeese’s remarkable writing career and penchant for procrastinating at http://www.jsonline.com/news/obituaries/writer-was-a-character-in-his-own-right-qs5d9d4-151322005.html.