Thankful Thursday - The Washington State Book Awards Edition

So I'm thankful.

Not because I was a winner, but because I learned last weekend that my book Letters from the Emily Dickinson Room was chosen as a finalist for the Washington State Book Awards.

I'm in great company, Susan Rich's The Alchemist Kitchen and Oliver de la Paz's Requiem for the Orchard were also chosen.

Susan Rich and I found out we were finalists while we were standing in the Emily Dickinson Room in Sylvia Beach.  Could there have been a more perfect place to receive this news?  It felt as if we've come full circle, from writing the poems there to giving it a prize.

And if you're around Seattle on October 12th, come and celebrate with us at the Richard Hugo House from 6-8 pm.  All the winners and finalists from all the genres will be there and it's free and open to the public too.

But wait, I haven't mentioned the one thing--

The winner!  An incredible collection of poems by Frances McCue called The Bled. 
I have read poems from this collection and they are amazing.  I just ordered my copy from the publisher (see the link if you want to).

Here's the description for anyone interested--

The Bled by Frances McCue.  Winner of the 2011 Grub Street Book Prize. "Frances McCue's book is the most moving account of a spouse's death I have ever read. While living abroad in Morocco he died suddenly, and the aftermath of that event is detailed here with astonishment and heart-rung love"—James Tate.


 I also feel a little ahead of the crowd as we included Frances' book in our last issue of Crab Creek Review in the Editors' Choice section!  


Congrats to all winners and finalists!