MAY-JULY 2015 N Awards Continued from Page 2 Biblio File Re'lynn Hansen
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May-July, 2015 Biblio File Society of Midland Authors: Libby Fisher Hellmann’s Nobody's Child was named a 2015 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in ‘Amazing and noble’ at 100 Mystery/Suspense finalist. Also, Libby has written a short story prequel to A Bitter BY THOMAS FRISBIE Veil titled “War Secrets.” ... Many thanks he Society of Midland Authors, to Richard Lindberg for his years of born a century ago as literature was service as a Society board member and Tbeing redefined, is like a venerable president. Richard, whose 17th book, punk band, emcee Robert K. Elder joked Gangland Chicago, comes out Oct. 15, has at the Society’s centennial book awards stepped down after completing his most dinner on May 1. recent term. ... Shane Gericke dedicated Society co-founder and early president The Fury, his new thriller coming out Sept. Harriet Monroe “was a champion of 4, to his “wonderful and loving-est” wife, modern writing, and she threw out tradi- Robert K. Kathleen Jerrie. Also, Shane’s earlier books Blown tional ideas of ivory tower literature,” Elder Rooney Away, Cut to the Bone and Torn Apart will said Elder, author of six books, includ- be redesigned and republished in August ing Last Words of the Executed and The in ebook and trade paperback. ... Former Film That Changed My Life. “ ... She SMA board member Steve Monroe’s first along with folks like Carl Sandburg two books ’57, Chicago and ’46, Chicago found themselves in a cultural revolt, a were reissued in trade paperback on July full-on sort of punk rock rejection of the 14. ... Mark your calendar: The 6 p.m. to modern status quo. So for members of 7:30 p.m. Sept. 8 SMA program at the this honored society, you might not have Harold Washington Library will feature realized it, but you are a members in a Neal Samors, Christopher Lynch and 100-year-old punk band.” possibly a third author. Samors and The Society also serves an important Lin Harriet Lynch are authors of Now Arriving: community that nurtures writers, Elder Enger Monroe Traveling To and From Chicago By Air: said. “It’s amazing and noble that it’s last- Of The Confessions of Frances Godwin, 90 Years of Flight (Chicago Books Press, ed 100 years, and I hope it lasts 100 more.” Judge Tony Romano said, “What really May 1). ... The June Indiana Magazine of He then announced the start of the stuck with us with this book was the char- History includes Ray Boomhower’s article Society’s annual book awards in Chicago, acter, Frances Godwin. You wanted to on John Bartlow Martin's 1947 book which honor the organization’s choices spend time with her. She’s sarcastic, she’s Indiana: An Interpretation. ... On April for the best books by Midwest authors shrewd, tough, irreverent, even when 25 Arnie Bernstein gave an introductory published in 2014. speaking to God. ... We come to know her speech at the Peoria Riverfront Museum In the Adult Fiction category, the win- on many levels.” during a screening of The Godfather on a ner was Robert Hellenga for The Hellenga said, “The biggest risk I took seven-story high screen. “If that’s not Confessions of Frances Godwin in writing The Confessions of Frances heaven, I don’t know what is!” he e- (Bloomsbury). The finalists were Godwin was introducing God as an active mailed. And his Swastika Nation: Fritz Kathleen Rooney for O, Democracy! character and allowing him to bully Kuhn and the Rise and Fall of the (Fifth Star Press) and Lin Enger for The German-American Bund was published in High Divide, (Algonquin). Turn to Page 2 Poland by Rebis Publishing on April 28. ... The April 24 Lake Forester profiled Ilene Cooper. ... Now & Then Reader has added a link to June Sawyers’ Printers Row New Literary Workingman: The Faith-Based Politics of report Books Lore Bruce Springsteen. ... Starting April 28, PAGE 4 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 Turn to Page 2 Biblio File n Awards Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1 Frances in Latin.” Billy McCarthy ran a 30-day “Ferocious For O, Drummers” Kickstarter campaign. On Democracy!, July 14, he announced a major TV/film Romano read Judge distributing company has optioned Bayo Ojikutu’s “Ferocious Drummers.” ... Stan “Tex” comments, which Banash was presented with a Superior said in part, Achievement Award at the 2015 Annual “Rooney strikes at Awards program of the Illinois State the the winsome hope of a new lost Historical Society on April 25 for his Jonathan David Stuart generation, hopes Michael book Roadside History of Illinois. A McCarthy Eig MacLean judge said, “[It is] a straightforward, given embodied well-written and informative travel book voice by a narrator Answer to the Riddle Is Me: A Memoir of that includes many helpful extras — a toiling on behalf an ambitious Illinois Amnesia (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). history timeline, interesting factoids, a politico campaigning for high office. The finalist was Ken S. Mueller for complete index, and an extensive bibliog- “The novel is timely in ways both stark Senator Benton and the People: Master raphy. ... I want to have this book with and covert, trenchant in its observations.” Race Democracy on the Early American me whenever I explore the Prairie State.” Rooney thanked the Society for the Frontiers (Northern Illinois University Also, Stan was on “After Hours with honor of being named a finalist. Press). Rick Kogan” on June 14. ... Leone The third Adult Fiction judge was This was the second year that memoirs Castell Anderson’s poems “Wind Mark Eleveld. were included with biographies in the Farms” and “Shades of Winter” will be In Adult Nonfiction, the winner was same category, Judge Bob Remer said. displayed at a September reception spon- Jonathan Eig for The Birth of the Pill: “This year something very special hap- sored by Inprint at which those poems How Four Crusaders Reinvented Sex and pened, and that is that a powerful memoir receiving the most votes will appear in Launched a Revolution (W.W. Norton). won for the first time,” he said. book titled Word of Art. Also, she won The finalist was Michael McCarthy for Of the finalist, a biography, Remer this year’s Highlights for Children’s mys- Ashes Under Water: The SS Eastland and said, “The book was very thorough, well- tery story contest, getting both prize the Shipwreck That Shook America written, competently researched and using (Lyons Press). as its subject an important Democratic Turn to Page 3 Judge Davis Schneiderman said this senator, Thomas Hart Benton, who was year’s competition presented “an astound- the first from Missouri, during a very sig- ing array of really fantastic nonfiction nificant transition period.” books.” The winner, about a fluke reaction to an Schneiderman called Eig’s book “a tri- anti-malarial drug, is “a powerful story” umph of narrative nonfiction.” and “a book that enormously affected all 2015, Society “I was so inspired by reading this book three judges,” Remer said. of Midland Authors that I started taking the Pill,” he joked. “The story is often painful, often funny P.O. Box 10419, Chicago IL 60610 “Combining intensive research with and frequently suspenseful as the author compelling storytelling, the book is a struggled to recreate, or appear to create, Editor: Thomas Frisbie grand mix of biography, politics, femi- his memories with friends and loved ones. [email protected] nism, social science and medicine,” he ... The writing is so powerful and engag- Copy Editor: Beverly Offen said. ing that the word empathy does not do www.midlandauthors.com In his acceptance, Eig credited former justice to how David grabs hold of the SMA President Leon Forrest, who taught reader along this journey.” Follow the Society on Eig’s freshman literature class at In his acceptance, MacLean thanked the Twitter@midlandauthors Northwestern. Society for giving an award to a memoir. “This guy just lit up the room,” Eig “Memoir lives in a weird literary ghet- Society of Midland Authors members said. “He was this revolutionary writer, a to,” MacLean said. “It is not as concerned can now pay their membership dues, man who believed with the power of with beauty as poetry, it is not as smart as buy tickets to the annual dinner and these words that he could change the essays, it is not as complex as the novel. make donations on our website with world.” The memoir is relegated to those of us PayPal (there is a $1 fee to help cover The other judges for Adult Nonfiction who have had things happen to them.” PayPal’s fee). To make a donation, visit were Ray E. Boomhower and Gregory The other judges for Biography & our home page at www.midlandau- Harms. thors.com and click on the "Donate" Memoir were John Hallwas and button in the upper right corner. In Biography & Memoir, the winner was David Stuart MacLean for The Turn to Page 3 2 LITERARY LICENSE, MAY-JULY 2015 n Awards Continued from Page 2 Biblio File Re'Lynn Hansen. Continued from Page 2 In Children’s Fiction, the winner was Margi Preus for West of the Moon money and an engraved pewter bowl, and (Amulet Books). The finalists were her entry “Sam Sleuth,” will appear in the Margaret Willey for Beetle Boy (Lerner magazine. ... Chris Abani lectured April Books); Crystal Chan for Bird 15 at the Sensoria literary event in (Atheneum Books for Young Readers), Charlotte, S.C. ... Theresa Amato wrote and John David Anderson for Minion a June 17 New York Times op-ed head- (Walden Pond Press).