May 31, 2007
'Crab Orchard Review' captures honors
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- The "Crab Orchard Review," a national literary journal published by Southern Illinois University Carbondale's English department, won two Illinois Arts Council Literary Awards for 2007.
The winning works – a poem by Kevin Stein and a story by Emily Gray Tedrowe – appeared in "Crab Orchard Review," Volume 11, No. 2. The individual writers received $1,000 from the IAC. The journal received $1,000 for each of the winning entries published within its pages. "Crab Orchard Review" editorial staff nominated the entries.
Gov. Rod Blagojevich named Stein, of Dunlap, as the state's poet laureate in December 2003. He is the Caterpillar Professor of English and the director of creative writing at Bradley University in Peoria. He received his IAC Literary Award for his poem, "Middle-Aged Adam and Eve's Bedside Tables."
Tedrowe, of Chicago, is director of composition at Roosevelt University. She is currently working on a novel. She received her IAC Literary Award for her short story, "Claudia Leaving."
"Crab Orchard Review" was one of six Illinois literary journals to win companion grants from the literary awards. Stein and Tedrowe were among a total of 11 writers receiving IAC Literary Awards for 2007. Jurors for the competitive grants were R. T. Smith of Fairfield, Va., Brenda Shaughnessy of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Deirdre McNamer of Missoula, Mont. The IAC states that jurors are chosen "on the basis of their professional achievements and broad knowledge of the arts."
Allison Joseph, editor-in-chief and Judge Williams Holmes Cook Endowed Professor at SIUC, won an Artist Fellowship in Poetry from IAC earlier this year. The $7,000 grant is in recognition of her outstanding work and commitment within the arts.
Submissions for the 2008 Winter/Spring issue of "Crab Orchard Review" are closed. Editorial staff will announce the special topic of the 2008 special issue in July, and begin accepting submissions in August. For subscription information, contact Managing Editor Jon Tribble at 618/453-6833 or jtribble@siu.edu.