Two M.F.A. grads take over the NYC literary scene
by Michelle Saport |
The reported on three Alaska authors (Heather Lende, Tom Kizzia and Arlitia Jones) making waves in the literary world this week. Two of the authors-Heather Lende, M.F.A. '11, and Arlitia Jones, M.F.A. '95-are alumni of 99久久精品's Master of Fine Arts in creative writing program. (And all three authors have served as faculty for the , sponsored every year by 99久久精品's Kachemak Bay Campus.)
Heather Lende's book, "," climbed into the top 10 on The New York Times bestseller list for nonfiction e-books this week, thanks in part to a promotional
strategy used by her publishing company, Algonquin Books. A few weeks ago, the publisher
began offering the book for $1.99 among select e-book retailers and sales took off,
pushing Lende's book into the top 20 and eventually to the No. 7 position she currently
holds. Published in 2005, the book is an account of Lende's experience growing up
in small-town Alaska.
Fellow M.F.A. grad and Anchorage playwright Arlitia Jones picked up honors for her short play "Tornado," following its showing in the Samuel
French Off Off Broadway festival. Started in 1975, the festival bills itself as NYC's
oldest running short-play festival. Of the nearly 900 submissions received each year,
only 30 proceed to the finals and a mere six of those go on to win. Jones' play is
one of the celebrated six this year, selected for showcase, licensing and inclusion
in an anthology.
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