Patasola Press has nominated The Indefinite State of Imaginary Morals by Rae Bryant for THE 2012 HEMINGWAY FOUNDATION / PEN AWARD.
Patasola Press believes THE INDEFINITE STATE OF IMAGINARY MORALS to a beautiful representation of the power of short fiction. Bryant’s work is strong and glorious, quirky and stunning, and finally, timeless. The stories are diverse — from the gritty, gnawed arms of weary lovers to white cotton handkerchiefs and sparkling rivers — yet have a seamless, woven quality that begs for praise. Most importantly, the collection isn’t afraid to have opinions and meat, ideas and dreams, things that make the reading and entertainment experience into a personal experience. You can purchase the collection at Amazon, the e-store or here on Patasola Press.
This award is given to an American writer for a first book of fiction. Two finalists and two honorable mentions will also be named. The winner also receives a one-week residency in The Distinguished Visiting Writers Series at the University of Idaho’s MFA Program in Creative Writing and $8,000. In addition, the winner and all competition finalists and honorable mentions receive Ucross Residency Fellowships at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming, a retreat for artists and writers.
PEN / Hemingway
According to Pen New England, The late Mary Hemingway, a member of PEN, founded the award in 1976 both to honor the memory of her husband, Ernest Hemingway, and to recognize distinguished first books of fiction. The award is funded by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation, which has been administered by the Hemingway Society since 1987, and PEN
New England. A panel of three distinguished fiction writers selects the winner. PEN New England is one of
three regional branches of PEN American Center, which is in turn part of International PEN, the only worldwide
organization of writing professionals.
The award will be presented at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston on Sunday, April 1, 2012. The
ceremony is co-sponsored by the library and The Boston Globe. Previous recipients of the Hemingway
Foundation/PEN Award include Marilynne Robinson, Bobbie Ann Mason, Josephine Humphreys, Mark Richard,
Louis Begley, Edward P. Jones, Susan Power, Ha Jin, Charlotte Bacon, Jhumpa Lahiri, Akhil Sharma, Justin
Cronin, Jennifer Haigh, Chris Abani, Yiyun Li, Ben Fountain, Joshua Ferris, Michael Dahlie, and Brigid Pasulka.
