Georgia Writers Association - Serving a diverse writing community

Results of the 49th Annual Georgia Author of the Year Awards

First, we would like to thank all who attended this year’s banquet and ceremony. Even as I announce the winners and finalists of this year’s award ceremony, all of our nominees are deserving of applause for their hard work and dedication.

The finalists are: Ted Geltner (Biography), Last King of the Sports Page: The Life and Career of Jim Murray; Carol Bland Dolson (Children’s Book), Hattie and the Higgledy-Piggledy Hedge; John Yow (Essay), The Armchair Birder Goes Coastal; Collin Kelley (Novel); Remain in Light; Nancy Brandon (First Novel), Dunaway’s Crossing; Michael W. Kitchens (History), Ghosts of Grandeur: Georgia’s Lost Antebellum Homes and Plantations; Rev. Peter Wallace (Inspirational-Religious), The Passionate Jesus; Janisse Ray (Inspirational-Secular), The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food; K. Dawn Goodwin (Memoir/Autobiography), Until He Comes; Emily Blake Vail (Poetry), Poems from Time Past: Crossroads, Byways, Destinations; Michael Bishop (Short Stories), The Door Gunner and Other Perilous Flights of Fancy; and James Holland, Dorinda G. Dallmeyer, and Janisse Ray (Specialty Book), Altamaha: A River and Its Keeper.

This year, we also have an honorable mention in the Biography category: Dana Green, Denise Levertov: A Poet’s Life.

The winners are: Joseph Crespino (Biography), Strom Thurmond’s America; Sandra Page (Children’s Book), Pyramid of the Lost World; Kathy A. Bradley (Essay), Breathing and Walking Around: Meditations on Life; June Hall McCash (Novel), Plum Orchard; Kimberly Brock (First Novel), The River Witch; Steven Davis (History), What the Yankees Did to Us: Sherman’s Bombardment and the Wrecking of Atlanta; J. Steve Miller (Inspirational-Religious), Near-Death Experiences as Evidence for the Existence of God and Heaven; Patricia Martin Holt (Inspirational-Secular), Committee of One: Making a Difference, One life at a Time; Joseph Scott Morgan (Memoir/Autobiography), Blood Beneath My Feet: The Journey of a Southern Death Investigator; Dan Veach (Poetry); Elephant Water; Cliff Graubart (Short Stories), The Curious Vision of Sammy Levitt and Other Stories; Ren & Helen Davis (Specialty Book), Atlanta’s Oakland Cemetery: An Illustrated History and Guide.

Thank you all for your participation and support, and congratulations to the winners and finalists of this year’s Georgia Author of the Year Awards!

Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 19:28

Jack McDevitt Announced as this year's Lifetime Achievement Award Winner

I can’t recall a time in my life when I wasn’t interested in writing,” said author Jack McDevitt, the Georgia Writers Association’s 2013 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient. Now a resident of Brunswick, Georgia, McDevitt is a science fiction writer with a varied background as an English teacher, a naval officer, and a Philadelphia taxi driver.

“And the news came literally out of the blue. It’s not smart to expect to be nominated for a major award. You hope it might happen, but looking for it is simply an invitation to disappointment.” McDevitt expressed delight and gratitude for the nomination and success at winning the award.

“I write science fiction because it evokes a sense of wonder. You begin to get a feeling for the size of the universe. Or what forever really means.” His books explore journeys that lead to discovery, a literary trait that he advises other writers to consider in a quest to achieve stellar writing. He stated that a divergence within the character, one that suggests serious contemplation and internal reflection, can craft the most fascinating conflict.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 18 June 2013 19:19