Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award

Established in 1984, the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award introduces emerging writers to the New York City literary community. Each year, poets and fiction writers from one state are invited to apply for the award. To be eligible, applicants must have no more than one published book in the genre in which they apply. Winners are selected by outside judges based on manuscripts they submit to P&W. The winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City to meet with literary agents, editors, publishers, and writers, and give a public reading. Winners also receive a $500 honorarium and a one-month residency at the Jentel Artist Residency Program in Wyoming.  To date, more than 80 writers from 32 states have received this award. Many of its recipients have gone on to receive other awards, secure teaching positions, and have their books published.

2013 Winners  

The 2013 winners of the Maureen Egen Writers Exchange Award, selected from Alaska, are poet Jill Osier of Fairbanks, and fiction writer Bryan Allen Fierro of Ankorage. Judges for this year's prize were Ann Napolitano (for fiction) and Afaa Michael Weaver (for poetry). The judges also cited first runners-up Joan Naviyuk Kane (in poetry) and David Stevenson (in fiction), both from Anchorage; and second runners-up Linda Martin from Homer (in poetry) and Brendan I. Jones from Sitka (in fiction).

Read the Press Release (PDF)

Read an excerpt from Ms. Osier's winning manuscript (PDF)

Read an excerpt from Mr. Fierro's winning manuscript (PDF)

Past Winners

• Paige Ackerson-Kiely, Vermont
• Constance Alexander, Kentucky
• Nolde Alexius, Louisiana
• Doug Anderson, Massachusetts
• Sandra Beasley, Washington, D.C.
• Allison Benis, California
• Chana Bloch, California
• Magda Bogin, New York
• Anthony C. Brusate, Kentucky
• B. J. Buckley, Montana
• Claudia Burbank, New Jersey
• John Caddy, Minnesota
• John Campbell, Oregon
• Karen Chamberlain, Utah
• Michael Chitwood, North Carolina
• Sanda Moore Coleman, Kansas
• Carolyn Coman, Massachusetts
• Daniel Degnan, New Jersey
• Janet Desaulniers, Illinois
• Denise Duhamel, Pennsylvania
• Kim Edwards, Ohio
• John Engman, Minnesota
• Blas Falconer, Tennessee
• Roger Fanning, Washington
• José Faus, Kansas
• Sascha Feinstein, Indiana
• David Galef, Mississippi
• Dorothy Gannon, Vermont
• Elizabeth Graver, Massachusetts
• Kate Green, Minnesota
• Jean Hanson, Wyoming
• Charlotte Holmes, Pennsylvania
• Matthew Kailey, Colorado
• Laura Kasischke, Michigan
• Sue Monk Kidd, South Carolina
• Miriam Kuznets, Texas
• Mary La Chapelle, Minnesota
• Robert Lacy, Minnesota
• Dylan Landis, California
• Jeanne Leiby, Florida
• Steven L'Italien, Arizona
• Quitman Marshall, South Carolina
• Deirdra McAfee, Virgina
• Shena McAuliffe, Missouri
• Jeanne McDonald, Tennessee
• Mollye Miller, Maryland
• Jim Moore, Minnesota
• Lee Ann Mortenson, Utah
• Delisa Mulkey, Georgia
• David Mura, Minnesota
• Patrick Murtagh, Montana
• Rhonda Nelson, Florida
• Fae Myenne Ng, California
• Elizabeth Oness, Wisconsin
• David Peterman, Ohio
• Paul Pfeiffer, Indiana
• C. L. Rawlins, Wyoming
• David Reynolds, Michigan
• Brad Richard, Louisiana
• Andrés Rodriguez, Missouri
• Ruth Roston, Minnesota
• Angela Rydell, Wisconsin
• Diza Sauers, Arizona
• Nancy Schoenberger, New York
• Adam Schwartz, Maryland
• Rebecca Seiferle, New Mexico
• Barbara Selfridge, California
• David Dean Shavit, Illinois
• Pamela Shephard, New Mexico
• Aleda Shirley, Mississippi
• Mona Simpson, New York
• Gregory Blake Smith, Minnesota
• Matthew Stadler, Washington
• Norman Stock, New York
• Susan Straight, California
• Craig Taylor, California
• Willett Thomas, Washington, D.C.
• Reetika Vaziriani, Virginia
• Jane Wampler, Colorado
• Lauren K. Watel, Georgia
• David Weaver, North Carolina
• Susan Welch, Minnesota
• Lidia Yuknavitch, Oregon