The Ohio State University Press receives hundreds of manuscripts every January from various authors all hoping to win the OSU Prize in Short Fiction. Earlier this month, Seton Hall creative writing professor J. David Stevens’ book, “The Death of the Short Story and Other Short Stories” was announced as this year’s winner.
“It was a tremendous surprise,” Stevens said. “Erin McGraw [Ohio State University creative writing professor] called me at 8:58 a.m. as I was getting ready to take the kids to daycare.”
An annual prize since 1997, the OSU prize is jointly funded by the creative writing program and the OSU Press. The winner receives $1,500 and a book contract.
Receiving the award was slightly better than winning the lottery, Stevens said.
When writing the stories, Stevens said he was not thinking in terms of a book, but of individual stories. He said that while each story has its own purpose and meaning, they just came together over the years.
Stevens is no stranger to writing competitions, he was a finalist for both the Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction and the University of Iowa’s short fiction contest. The difference with this entry was a combination of good timing and his compilation of stories.
“I quit entering contests two years ago because of the entry fee,” Stevens said. “I figured I could spend that money on my kids.”
On a whim Stevens said he entered the OSU contest with a newly arranged group of original short fiction.
“I had been trying to piece together work that did not belong together,” he said. “This book holds together better than the others. It’s more cohesive.”
Erin McGraw was in charge of choosing the prize recipient, and said even though Stevens’ book came from a particularly strong group of entries, it possessed qualities that made it stand out.
“It struck me as such a big book,” McGraw said. “It was the most wide ranging collection.”
And while sundry in topics, Stevens said readers should expect anything and everything.
“These stories are a half-step away from normal,” he said. “They’re looking at the world a little slant-wise.”
Stevens said that while his stories are humorous, readers that want to look deeper into the text can, though those that do not should not feel left out.
“Don’t feel like there is something you should be seeing,” he said. “Take from it what you find valuable.”
Although still in its infancy compared to other literary awards, the OSU prize has its distinguished winners.
Scott Kaukonen, creative writing doctoral student at the University of Missouri and author of “Ordination,” last year’s winner, had his first collection of short stories published by the OSU Press. Since then, Kaukonen had one of his stories win the Nelson Algren award which is handed out yearly by the Chicago Tribune.
