In the Woods They Wait. (Little, Brown, Sept. 22, 2026. Editor: Liv Ryan. Agent: Via Romano.) Carrie Lee South earned her MFA at the Arkansas Writers Workshop where she served as the fiction editor for the literary magazine Arkana. She’s currently the fiction editor at StoryBottle Co. Her work has appeared in Waxwing, F(r)iction, Iron Horse Literary Review, Tales to Terrify, and elsewhere. When she’s not reading and writing, she’s spending time with birds—the ones outside and the four parrots that live in her house. How did you find your agent? I started by reading through the acknowledgements of some […]
Dayton Literary Peace Prizes
People 9/17
National Book Awards Longlist: Nonfiction and Fiction
Melville House Finds New Financial Backer
Independent publisher Melville House has recapitalized thanks to a partnership with Illuminating Media LLC, which is headed by David Kelsey. Founders and publishers Valerie Merians and Dennis Johnson say the company will assist in an eventual succession plan. “I’m flattered that Dave recognizes the importance of what we’ve been doing,” Merians said in a release. “Dennis and I will be stepping back eventually and we’re looking forward to working with Dave on a leadership succession plan that will take the company into the future.” Merians, Johnson, and Kelsey will create an advisory board for the publisher, which will also include […]
Obituary: Annie Dillard; Deirdre McDermott
Author Annie Dillard, 81, died on September 15, the New York Times reports. She won a Pulitzer Prize for Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in 1975 and received a National Humanities Medal in 2014. Walker picture book publisher and associate director Deirdre McDermott has died. McDermott started at Walker in 1989 as a junior paperback designer and became picture book publisher and associate director in 2002, publishing creators including Oliver Jeffers, Jessica Love, and Chris Haughton. A funeral will take place in London on September 23 at 2 PM at West Chapel in Golders Green (62 Hoop Lane).