ON THE SEVENTH SEASON OF THE ARCHIVE PROJECT, ENJOY DISCUSSIONS FROM PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES, PORTLAND BOOK FESTIVAL, AND OTHER COMMUNITY EVENTS FROM OUR HOME IN PORTLAND, OREGON AND BEYOND.
Funding the production of new work by Oregon’s writers and independent publishers.
Oregon Literary Fellowships are intended to help Oregon writers at all stages of their career initiate, develop, or complete literary projects in poetry, fiction, literary nonfiction, drama, and young readers’ literature. Fellowships are also awarded to support Oregon’s independent publishers and small presses that demonstrate a commitment to literary publishing.
Fellowships are merit based, and are determined by out-of-state judges. Applications are accepted in the spring, and recipients are announced at the beginning of the year. There is no charge to apply. Many Oregon Literary Fellowship recipients go on to become Oregon Book Awards finalists.
2022 Oregon Literary Fellowships Guidelines and applications will go online in August.
2021 Oregon Literary Fellowship Recipients
Literary Arts is please to announce the recipients of the 2021 Oregon Literary Fellowships.Generous gifts from our community have increased the value of the Brian Booth Writers’ Fund Endowment which, in turn, have allowed us to further support exceptional Oregon writers.
This year, Literary Arts awarded two Oregon Literary Career Fellowships of $10,000 each, and eleven fellowships of $3,500, for a total of $58,500.
We received 408 applications from writers and 17 applications from publishers for the 2021 fellowships. Out-of-state judges spent several months evaluating these applications, using literary excellence as the primary criterion. Literary Arts awarded three fellowships this year that were funded by the Oregon Arts Commission.
Since 1987, Literary Arts has honored over 700 Oregon writers and publishers, and distributed more than $1 million in fellowships and award monies through the Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships program.
Oregon Literary Career Fellowships
In 2021, Literary Arts awarded two Oregon Literary Career Fellowships of $10,000 each.
Annie Sheppard of Cottage Grove (nonfiction), Oregon Literary Career Fellowship
Annie Sheppard writes speculative prose. Her essays have appeared in Phoebe, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Fourth Genre, The Writer, and the Pushcart Prize XLV.
Sandy Tanaka of Portland (fiction), Writer of Color Oregon Literary Career Fellowship
Sandy Tanaka writes fiction, poetry, and memoir. She has a B.A. in film from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an MFA in creative writing from Warren Wilson College. She is also an art director and designer.
Oregon Literary Fellowships
Literary Arts awarded fellowships of $3,500 to 9 writers and 2 publishers. Oregon Literary Fellowships are intended to help Oregon writers initiate, develop, or complete literary projects. Fellowships are also awarded to support Oregon’s independent publishers, small presses, and literary magazines.
FICTION
Kesha Ajose-Fisher of Portland, Writer of Color Fellowship
Kesha Ajose-Fisher is the author of No God Like the Mother. She tells stories about her years in Nigeria through her transition to America for the value in the experiences shared with the sundry mix of people that her American mother exposed them to in childhood. Her writing has been published in several online and print collections.
Pedro Hoffmeister of Eugene, Laurell Swails and Donald Monroe Memorial Fellowship
Pedro Hoffmeister is the author of five books including the recent novels This Is The Part Where You Laugh and Too Shattered For Mending.
Emily Woodworth of Sisters, Laurell Swails and Donald Monroe Memorial Fellowship
Emily Woodworth’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in Joyland, CAROUSEL, After the Pause, Inkwell Journal, and others. She earnedMFA in Writing (emphasis in Image + Text) from California Institute of the Arts.
NONFICTION
Scott Korb of Portland, Walt Morey Fellowship Scott Korb is the director of the Pacific University MFA in Writing program and the author of The Faith Between Us, Life In Year One and Light Without Fire. He’s also an editor of The Harriet Jacobs Family Papers and Gesturing Toward Reality: David Foster Wallace and Philosophy.
A.M. Rosales of Portland, Women Writers Fellowship A.M. Rosales is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, and translator originally from Cochabamba, Bolivia. They hold a literature degree from George Mason University. A Pride Foundation scholar and a collaborating artist at the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art, their work has been supported by the Precipice Fund and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
POETRY
Amy Miller of Ashland, C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship Amy Miller’s full-length poetry collection The Trouble with New England Girls won the Louis Award from Concrete Wolf Press. Her chapbooks include I Am on a River and Cannot Answer (BOAAT Press) and Rough House (White Knuckle Press). She works for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and is the poetry editor of the NPR listeners’ guide Jefferson Journal.
Alyssa Ogi of Portland, Oregon Poetry Community Fellowship(made possible by a former Oregon Literary Fellowship Recipient) Alyssa Ogi received her MFA from the University of Oregon, and now edits books for Tin House in Portland. Her poems can be found in Best New Poets, Poetry Northwest, Crab Orchard Review, and other publications. A recipient of an Elizabeth George Foundation grant, she is currently at work on her first poetry collection: a reimagined history of the American West Coast through the lens of the Asian Pacific diaspora.
YOUNG READERS
Shana Targosz of Portland, Edna L. Holmes Fellowship in Young Readers Shana Targosz is a MG/YA/PB author who writes about magical girls, budding friendships, ghosts who may or may not be friendly, and fiercely-held hope. She’s an active member of SCBWI and received an award at the 2017 Oregon Regional Conference. She’s an Author Mentor Match mentee, a Pitch Wars mentor, and has been a guest host on Grace Lin’s #kidlitwomen podcast.
DRAMA
Sara Jean Accuardi of Portland, Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Sara Jean Accuardi is an award-winning playwright whose full-length plays include The Delays, BREAK, The Storyteller, and Portrait of the Widow Kinski. Her writing has been produced and developed around the country, including with Theatre Vertigo, Seven Devils Playwrights Conference, Spooky Action Theater, Victory Gardens, Portland Center Stage, Chicago Dramatists, The Blank Theatre, and PlayMakers Rep. She is a proud member of the Dramatist Guild and LineStorm Playwrights.
2021 Oregon Literary Fellowships for Publishers
Forest Avenue Press of Portland
Forest Avenue Press, founded in 2012, publishes literary fiction on a joyride and the occasional memoir. They publish two titles a year; recent titles include A Small Crowd of Strangers and Wife Daughter Self.
Northwest Review of Portland
Northwest Review was first published by the University of Oregon in 1957. It ceased operation in 2011, and in 2020 it resumed publication.
Writer of Color Fellowships
Applicants can also choose to be considered for a Writer of Color Fellowship. The goal of the Writer of Color Fellowships is to promote perspectives from a variety of cultural, ethnic, and racial backgrounds, and encourage diverse writers to apply for fellowships. Two Writer of Color Fellowships will be offered each year. All applications for the Writer of Color fellowship are considered for an Oregon Literary Fellowship.
Oregon Literary Career Fellowships
In addition to our other fellowships, Literary Arts awards fellowships in the amount of $10,000 to writers selected by the judges for their exceptional talent. One of these fellowships is specifically for a writer of color. Applicants submit an application form, optional addendums, a writing sample, an artist’s CV, artist’s statement, and impact statement as described in the guidelines.
“For thirty years, Literary Arts’ grants have made things possible—writing time, a workspace, a new computer, a research trip—filling essential needs and offering Oregon writers the invaluable knowledge that their community supports and honors their work.”
Ursula K. Le Guin, Oregon Literary Fellowship recipient and Oregon Book Awards winner
“When I look back at my life as a writer, an Oregon Book Award and a Literary Fellowship stand as high points—crucial reassurance that I was on the right path; that I was, in fact, “a writer.”
Molly Gloss, Oregon Literary Fellowship recipient and Oregon Book Awards winner
2019 Ana-Maurine Lara of Eugene, Laurell Swails and Donald Monroe Memorial Fellowship Natalie Hirt of Lake Oswego, Women Writers Fellowship Emme Lund of Portland, Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship Chris Stuck of Portland, Laurell Swails and Donald Monroe Memorial Fellowship
2018 Omar El Akkad Takashi Kendrick Mika Tanner, Laurell Swails and Donald Monroe Memorial Fellowship Alberto Yanez, Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Adair V.
2017 Aja Gabel, The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Amber Keller, Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship Josha Nathan, The Writer of Color Fellowship
2016 Leslie Barnard Booth of Portland, Women Writers Fellowship Matthew Robinson, The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship
2015 Colleen Burner, Women Writers Fellowship Airin Miller, The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Justin Hocking
2014 Robert Arellano, The Walt Morey Fellowship Sarah Marshall, Women Writers Fellowship
2013 Gina Ochsner, The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Samuel Snoek-Brown, The Walt Morey Fellowship
2012 Larry Bingham, The Walt Morey Fellowship Mark Allen Cunningham, The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Zondie Zinke
2011 Brenden Willey, The Walt Morey Fellowship
2009/2010 Emily Chenoweth Margaret Malone, Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship
2008 Serena Crawford (Portland) The Walt Morey Fellowship Mary Salisbury (Jacksonville) Jennifer Springsteen (Portland) The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship Loretta Stinson (Portland)
2006 Tina Boscha (Brownsville), The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Miriam Gershow (Eugene) Peter Brown Hoffmeister (Eugene)
2005 Mir Emampoor (Portland), The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Laila Lalami (Portland) Caleb McKenzie (Eugene) Katie Schneider (Portland) Bo Yu (Portland)
2004 Stevan Allred (Estacada) Justus Ballard (Portland), The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship Candice Favilla (Bandon), The Walt Morey Fellowship Wayne Harrison (Eugene) Marian Pierce (Portland)
2003 Dan DeWeese Michael Guerra Carla Perry Jan Priddy Mary Rechner Suzy Vitello
2002 Elizabeth Donle Robert Hill Gina Ochsner Joanne Tracy Lori Tobias
2001 Shawn Bernard Mark Pomeroy Suzi Klare Elissa Minor Rust Maya Muir
2000 Burky Achilles Alison Dunavan Clement Franny French Jennifer Kocher Scott Nadelson Teri Pastore Sandra Scofield
1999 John Addiego Patricia Armstrong Patricia Landers Chris Semansky Marie-Elise Wheatwind Carl Wilson
1998 Maria Caruso Ronault Catalan Doe Tabor
1997 Geronimo G. Tagatac Milena McGraw Lisa N. Pearson
1992 Diana Abu-Jaber Tim Gillespie Chang-rae Lee Ann Packer Sandra Stone Laurell Swails
1991 Sandra Dorr Sarah Redfield Sandra Scofield D. Lee Williams
1990 Annie Dawid Ehud Havazelet
1989 Teresa Jordan Karen Karbo
1988 Todd Grimson
POETRY
2019 Jennifer Perrine of Milwaukie, Oregon Poetry Community Fellowship (this fellowship is made possible by a former Oregon Literary Fellowship recipient) Christopher Rose of Hillsboro, Writer of Color Fellowship Pamela K. Santos of Portland, C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship
2018
2017 Aja Gabel, The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Amber Keller, Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship Josha Nathan, The Writer of Color Fellowship
2016 John Brehm, The C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship Cindy Williams Gutierrez, The Writer of Color Fellowshi
2015 Laura Christina Dunn, The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Trevino Brings Plenty, The C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship A. Molotkov Hajara Quinn Ashley Toliver, The Oregon Poetry Community Fellowship
2014 Toni Hanner, The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship Armin Tolentino, The C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship
2013 Andrea Hollander, The C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship Jessa Heath, The Oregon Poetry Community Fellowship
2012 Rodger Moody, The C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship
2011 Jennifer Richter, The C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship Michelle Penaloza, The Women Writers Fellowship Crystal Williams, The Oregon Poetry Community Fellowship
2009/2010 Jae Choi (Portland), C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship Jessica Johnson, The Women Writers Fellowship
2008 Daneen Bergland (Portland) Matthew Dickman (Portland) Sophie Zaffina (Portland), The C Hamilton Bailey Fellowship
2007 Joseph Millar (Eugene), The C Hamilton Bailey Fellowship Zanni Schauffler (Enterprise)
2006 Regina Godfrey (Portland), The C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship Kathleen Halme (Portland), The Walt Morey Fellowship
2005 Megan Kruse (Portland) Keetje Kuipers (Eugene), The C. Hamilton Bailey Poetry Fellowship Judith H. Montgomery (Bend)
2004 Shanna Germain (Portland), The C. Hamilton Bailey Poetry Fellowship Janine Oshiro (Portland) Rob Whitbeck (Fossil)
2003 Nicolas Alvarado-Greenwood Amy Klauke Minato John C. Morrison
2002 Karen Braucher Michael McGriff Myrna Pena-Reyes
2001 Susan Denning Cecelia Hagen Marilyn Johnston Mary Quade Brenda T. Shaw Matt Yurdana
2000 Carl Adamschick Matthew Dickman Michael Conrad Dickman Joseph Millar Maxine Scates
1996 Alison Apotheker Karen Braucher Judith H. Montgomery Doren Robbins Floyd Skloot Dianne Williams Stepp
1995 Gerald Burns Raphael Dagold Patricia Ann McMartin Enders Kate Gray Haley Marie Isleib John Witte
1994 David Axelrod Annie Callan Sandy Diamond Willa Schneberg Bill Sweet
1993 John Brehm John Reid Susan Spady
1992 Jane Van Dis
1991 Judith Barrington Elizabeth Claman
1990 Tom Crawford Sandra Williams
1989 Floyd Skloot
1988 Michelle Glazer Lex Runciman
Literary Nonfiction
2019 Chelsea Biondolillo of Portland, Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Sterling Cunio of Salem Karen Luper of Portland, Oregon Arts Commission Fellowship Justin Taylor of Portland
2018
2017 Santi Elijah Halley, The Oregon Arts Commission Fellowships Rebecca Owen, The Walt Morey Fellowship
2016 Siobahn Ruby McConnell, The Walt Morey Fellowship Denver David Robinson, The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship
2015 Otis Haschemeyer Cheston Knapp Elena Passrello, The Walt Morey Fellowship
2014 Kristy Athens Alena Nevarte Nahabedian, The Walt Morey Fellowship
2013 Myrlin Hermes, The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship Catherine Ryan Gregory, Women Writer’s Fellowship
2012 Apricot Irving, The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship
2011 Gretchen Icenogle, The Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship Michael McGregor, The Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship
2009/2010 Michael Copperman, The Walt Morey Fellowship Aaron Ragan-Fore, Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship
2008 Laurie Drummond (Eugene), Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Sabena Stark (Eugene)
2007 Elizabeth Grossman (Portland), Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship Harvest Henderson (Portland)
2006 Angie Chuang (Portland), Friends of the Lake Oswego Library William Stafford Fellowship antoinette nora claypoole (Ashland) William George (Portland)
2005 Sarah Gianelli (Eugene) Gail Robinson (Portland) Seth Walker (Portland) Lamont E. Wilkins (Portland)
2004 Christina Ammon (Ashland) Nancy Flynn (Corvallis), Leslie Bradshaw Fellowship Chanrithy Him (Eugene)
2003 Alison Cadbury Susan Cross Mary O’Brien, Ron Steffens Tracy Trefethen Erika Weisensee
2002 Diana Abu-Jaber George Estreich Bobbie Willis
2001 Charles Goodrich Dorothy Blackcrow Mack William Timothy Sweet
2000 Debra Gwartney Demian Hess Andrew X. Pham Betsy Ward
1999 Margaret Donsbach Sharon Doubiago Melissa Madenski Cheryl Strayed
1998 Margaret Chula Toni Kennedy Richard Seidman
1997 Jodi Varon
1996 Mark Andres Sean Gillihan Chanrithy Him Gary Miranda Valerie Rapp
1995 John Daniel Martha Gies Tim Gilmer Maxine Scates
1988 Breitenbush Books Calyx Mississippi Mud Mr. Cogito Silverfish Review
Hear from Reema Zaman, 2018 Oregon Literary Fellowship Recipient
Brian Booth Writers’ Fund
Brian Booth was a visionary Oregonian who helped create the Oregon Book Awards and Fellowships program with the help of William Stafford, Ursula K. Le Guin, Ken Kesey, and other iconic writers. Support Oregon’s creative future and make a donation in honor of Brian’s life and legacy.
