Boise News

Western Book Roundup

Werewolves, Energy Traders, NEA Grants and a “Sestina”

By Jenny Shank, 12-01-10

This is a wolf, not a werewolf. We don't have any file photos of actual werewolves.

You may recall New West’s recent interview with Oregon native Benjamin Percy about his first novel, The Wilding.  The book has drawn raves from just about every publication that reviews books, and though it’s only been out for a couple of months, Percy is already looking ahead to his next book, Red Moon, a novel that recently sold at auction to Grand Central/Hachette for publication in the Fall of 2012.  Variety reported last week that the Gotham Group has optioned the film rights to Red Moon. (Via Twitter.com/GraywolfPress) Tatiana Siegel wrote:

“[Red Moon is] described as an alternate history tome, story is set in a post-9/11 world of xenophobia in which the long-persecuted Lycans live among humans. Story kicks off with a Lycan uprising that results in a clash of civilizations.  Book proposal was acquired in a pub house bidding war by Grand Central. Lit deal is pegged at $500,000.”

That is some actual money right there.  Author and philosopher Jay-Z might even call it “cheddar.” Congratulations to Benjamin Percy on all his success.  I told you so.  Remember two years ago when I ordered you to check out his story collection Refresh, Refresh?

• The National Endowment for the Arts recently announced its 2010 Literature Fellowships, and two Denver poets were lucky winners.  Jennifer Denrow, who is pursuing her PhD at the University of Denver, and Julie Carr, who teaches at the University of Colorado, will each receive $25,000.  Rebecca Lindenberg of Salt Lake City also received the prestigious grant.

• A few months ago I mentioned that Idaho State MFA student Ciara Shuttleworth’s poem “Sestina” was accepted for publication in The New Yorker. Luke Baumgarten wrote a great profile of Shuttleworth for The Pacific Northwest Inlander.  Shuttleworth’s poem appears in the November 29 issue of The New Yorker.  Baumgarten describes the poem in this way:

“The poem that Shuttleworth transcribed, halting and elliptical, tells the story of a person who once felt loved, and who now feels betrayed — and also, in a sense, culpable — while being unsure what to do about those emotions. The whole thing, read aloud, is over in maybe 15 seconds.”

• Denver’s Cortright McMeel is getting ready to celebrate the release of his first novel, Short, with the help of the Lighthouse Writers Workshop, where he teaches fiction writing.  McMeel will be the star of Lighthouse’s December Writer’s Buzz on Saturday, December 11 at 910 Arts (910 Santa Fe Boulevard), 7 p.m., free.  McMeel recently moved to Colorado from Baltimore, where he founded the crime fiction magazine Murdaland.  McMeel also worked for several years as an energy trader, an experience that inspired his novel.  Look for more on the book here soon.

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