March 10, 2009

 

           

 

              NEWS RELEASE  

 

 

The Georgia Southern Department of Writing and Linguistics is pleased to announce the winners of this year’s Roy F. Powell Awards for Creative Writing.

 

In poetry, Matthew Bishop won for his poems “Waters Below the Firmament,” “A Meditation, Holmes,” and “The Prom Queen at Mt. Sinai.” Poetry finalists were Katie Brookins, Jordan Fennell, and Cavion Harris.

The winner in fiction is Reuben Hayslett for his short story “The Say Goodbye Terminal.”  Finalists in fiction were Jessie Thiemann, Jordan Fennell, and Patrick Shuler.

 

            Jordan Fennell won in the nonfiction category for “Charon.”  Robby Hurd was a finalist.

Mr. Bishop, a senior Literature and Philosophy major with a Creative Writing minor from Alma, Georgia, cites Allen Ginsberg, Randall Jarrell, and Lyn Hejinian as his most important literary influences. Explaining why he writes, Mr. Bishop said, “I write to satisfy a need to create. George Orwell said it best with ‘Aesthetic enthusiasm.’ I find pleasure in the construction of sounds.”

 

Mr. Hayslett, a senior Writing and Linguistics/Anthropology double major from Lithonia, Georgia, explained why he writes: “I write because I couldn’t imagine doing any other trade or craft. Writing has been the most fulfilling endeavor I’ve ever pursued.”

 

Among his literary influences he lists Joan Didion, Michael Cunningham, and David Sedaris.

 

            Mr. Fennell is a senior Writing and Linguistics major with a Literature minor from Baxley, Georgia. Mr. Fennell said that he writes “Because that’s what I was put here to do.” His literary influences include Cormac McCarthy, William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, Bob Dylan, and Peter Christopher.

 

            The winners will receive a cash award of $100.00, a framed award certificate, and recognition at the University’s Honors Day ceremonies on April 1.

 

            In addition, their work will be published in Miscellany, the campus literary arts magazine.

            The winners and finalists were chosen from many excellent entries, according to faculty judges Sonya Huber-Humes, Eric Nelson, and Laura Valeri.

 

           

For more information, please contact Eric Nelson at 478-5566.