Tuesday, December 06, 2005

Slackjawed with Amazement

Last Thursday, Gavin Grant from Small Beer Press (the publisher of my collection, Mothers & Other Monsters) called me and said, "Can you be in New York in January?"

I hesitated. I mean, I love New York, but it's expensive, and frankly, January is not the best time to be there.

"Say yes," Gavin said.

"Yes," I said.

That's how I learned that I was nominated for the Story Prize. I wasn't allowed to tall anyone until the official announcement today. And I've spent the last days thinking that I was mistaken and it would turn out to not to be true. But it appears it is.

"Now in its second year, The Story Prize, an annual award for books of short fiction, honors three outstanding works chosen from among a bumper crop of exceptional collections published in 2005. The three finalists are: The Summer He Didn't Die by Jim Harrison, Mothers & Other Monsters by Maureen F. McHugh, and The Hill Road by Patrick O'Keeffe."

I still don't believe it.

Here's the website, not yet updated with the nominees.

19 Comments:

Blogger Christopher Barzak said...

Yaaaayyyy!! Congratulations! (Actually I knew about it for the past few days, but couldn't say anything until today, same as Gwenda blogging.) We're so happy for you!

December 06, 2005 10:39 PM  
Blogger Dave said...

Wahoo! That's amazing; and so well-deserved! I hope you win!

December 06, 2005 10:43 PM  
Blogger Autumn said...

Yaayyy!

December 06, 2005 11:00 PM  
Blogger Greg van Eekhout said...

I already brag that Maureen was my teacher at Viable Paradise. But now, more.

Congratulations, Maureen!

December 06, 2005 11:13 PM  
Blogger chance said...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

December 07, 2005 6:17 AM  
Blogger Gregory Feeley said...

Maureen is among some pretty august company. O'Keeffe I do not know, but Jim Harrison is one of my favorite living writers, a novelist of much greater humor, sensitivity, and stylistic resource than his macho reputation would suggest.

I am faintly surprised that this trio of judges had the wit to make such good choices. Andrea Barrett is celebrated for her historical novellas -- it's nice that someone has learned how to make that game pay -- but she does them badly, with her good characters acting like they live in the present day and her bad guys acting like they live in the era the story is set. James Wood is a sharp enough guy, but a grumpy, faintly reactionary critic (just what you would expect for the New Republic). Well, good for them.

I will see if I can make it to town that day.

December 07, 2005 7:10 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maureen, that's wonderful! I saw the notice in the New York Times. Congratulations!

December 07, 2005 9:02 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Maureen,

I am so happy for you! Just the other night, my husband came across your book and remarked on what a great title it has. Congratulations a thousand times a thousand! (And then again.)

Mary Rickert

December 07, 2005 10:34 AM  
Blogger Darby M. Dixon III said...

Woot!

December 07, 2005 11:05 AM  
Blogger Madeleine Robins said...

Hot damn. I mean, really. Hot double damn.

December 07, 2005 11:12 AM  
Blogger Gregory Feeley said...

Was that a double hot damn with an extra shot of espresso, Mad? They're the best kind.

December 07, 2005 11:30 AM  
Blogger Jason Erik Lundberg said...

Kick ass and big conga rats, Maureen! That's such fantastic news!

December 07, 2005 1:41 PM  
Blogger Erin O'Brien said...

I knew this book was going somewhere. Here is a review I did for angle magazine:

Review of Mothers and other Monsters

December 07, 2005 4:32 PM  
Blogger Maureen McHugh said...

I've been thinking a lot lately about how very good writers don't necessarily get good breaks, and how many times in my career I HAVE gotten a good break.

I'm feeling really lucky.

December 07, 2005 5:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Whee! Congratulations!

December 08, 2005 6:39 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Outstanding news. Richly deserved. Congratulations!

Brett Cox

December 08, 2005 1:12 PM  
Blogger Derryl Murphy said...

Is that the sound of doors opening that I hear? Way to go!

D

December 08, 2005 9:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Fantastic!

December 09, 2005 4:29 PM  
Blogger Gojiro said...

Congrats, Maureen! Can I say, "I knew her when ..." now?

Dave Borcherding

December 14, 2005 6:11 PM  

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