Portland’s novelist Amanda Coplin, whose debut The Orchardist was also just awarded the Washington State Book Award for fiction, was named one of the National Book Awards authors’ 5 under 35 honorees.
Now in its the eighth year, the National Book Foundation 5 Under 35 program honors five fiction writers who are among the best of a new generation of writers. The honorees enjoy the special distinction of each being personally selected by a previous National Book Award Finalist or Winner. Honorees also receive a cash award of $1,000.
Coplin and her book were selected by Louise Erdrich, National Book Award Winner in 2012 for The Round House. For more information about 5 Under 35, including photos and videos of previous authors and events, please visit the National Book Foundation site.
Coplin has strong Pacific Northwest connections. She was born in Washington and raised in WA and OR, is a University of Oregon graduate, and is a UO Duck Store alumna. I wonder if she got to trade Oregon notes with the host of the 5 under 35 celebration, Carrie Brownstein of “Portlandia” fame.
Last year, The Orchardist was short-listed for the 2013 PNBA Book Awards. The novel was also featured as a Face Out on our site. For more about Coplin, please see Brian Juenemann’s Conversations interview from August 2012.
Congratulations, Amanda Coplin!