would signal the College’s
support for the growing
literary community that
surrounds St. Francis,”
he said. “President Dugan,
“The best two functions of literary prizes are to publish a
book that couldn’t get published otherwise, or to give a
book a second life and bring it into visibility.”
and the entire faculty are
“For a mid-career author
it makes me feel like I’m
making progress,” she said.
“I’m really honored to be in
such good company.”
The St. Francis College
— David Vann, St. Francis College 2013 Literary Prize Winner
proud of the leading role we
Literary Prize is unique
have taken…many of us feel
among literary awards.
the festival is a great example of the best
While many awards celebrate first-time
kind of partnership, bringing together
authors or the best books of the year,
educational and cultural institutions,
few recognize authors at a mid-point in
businesses, and local government to
their career, a time that can be “a very
produce a great community event.”
perilous place for a writer,” Cameron said.
The Brooklyn Book Festival took over
Houlihan noted that interest in
Borough Hall and Plaza on the Sunday
the award has grown substantially.
following the gala with rows of vendors,
The College received 4 0 submissions
publishers, and stages set up for author
for the first Literary Prize, which was
conversations. The event featured about
awarded to Aleksandar Hemon in 20 0 9
3 4 0 authors and 9 0 panel discussions
for his collection of short stories, Love
on topics ranging from coming of age tales,
and Obstacles. This year, Cameron and
the role of cartoonists, the urban land-
his fellow jurors, Jonathan Dee, winner
scape, and politics in fiction.
of the second Literary Prize for his novel
Three of the five finalists convened
The Privileges, and acclaimed author Kate
back at Founders Hall in the morning for
Christensen (The Epicure’s Lament, The
a panel led by New York-based novelist
Astral), spent about nine months culling
Peter Cameron, who served on the jury
through more than 170 submissions.
for the Literary Prize. He opened the
“There is a great deal of support for
discussion by asking the finalists what
new writers, and a lucky few are honored
it means to be a “mid-career” author.
late in their careers with major awards,
Vann discussed the progression of his
but there is no substantial award targeted
work, noting that many of his books have
specifically at writers in mid-career,”
incorporated aspects of his family history
and childhood. Dirt, his fifth book and third
Houlihan said. “The award is much more
Finalist Jami Attenberg and David Vann.
competitive, and much more widely
work of fiction, follows struggling 22-year-
known and recognized now, and we all
old Galen as he deals with his emotionally dependent mother, encroaching extended family, and his own manic binges.
“I never write with a plan or outline, but there is a structure and a
owe a great debt of gratitude to our jurors.”
Vann, an internationally-bestselling author whose earlier work has
been prominently featured in The New York Times, spoke candidly
progression,” Vann said. “Now I can see the larger arc and write the
about the struggle to find an audience in the United States at this
stories I couldn’t before.”
point in his career.
Anshaw, whose fourth novel Carry the One tells the story of a group
“Mid-career for me in the U.S. just means silence,” he said. He also
of friends whose lives are altered by a fatal car accident, joked, “I felt
noted that the challenges he’s faced make the St. Francis Literary Prize
that so many more people would enjoy my books if they had known
even more significant.
they existed.”
“The best two functions of literary prizes are to publish a book
Williamsburg resident Attenberg said
that couldn’t get published otherwise,
her fourth book, The Middlesteins, which
or to give a book a second life and bring
focuses on a family splintering apart
it into visibility,” Vann said.
because of the matriarch’s obsession
“Even more [important] than the
with food, brought her to a much wider
money is the recognition that the book
audience than her previous novels.
is worthwhile,” he said. “I’m really
Addressing the changing publishing
grateful for a second chance.”
landscape, she also noted that she
sold twice as many digital copies of
the book as print.
St. Francis College Literary Prize Finalist s: ( F R O M L E F T ) Carol
Anshaw (Carry the One), Jami Attenberg (The Middlesteins),
Tony D’Souza (Mule), and Christopher Tilghman (The
Right-Hand Shore).
View David Vann’s talk at
http://youtu.be/akUSFfPSzRU
S T. FR A NC I S COL L EGE T ERR IER | W IN T ER 2013-2014 | 5