A book published by Northwestern University Press was named afinalist for the 2004 National Book Award for Fiction.
It was announced last week that “Florida”, by Christine Schutt,is one of five finalists for the prestigious award. NU Pressrecently has gained international attention from its publicationsand is making strides to secure a national market, officials saidThursday.
“Florida” was published in February and has gained nationalrecognition as one of the best fictional works of the year.
The winners of the National Book Awards will be announced Nov.17. The work is Schutt’s first novel, although she previously haspublished short stories.
The book’s plot centers on an orphan girl who lives as atransient with different relatives and is robbed of having a truefamily, said Laura Leichum, Weinberg ’99 and publicity manager forNU Press. The young girl grows into an artist and learns to findfulfillment through writing.
The National Book Award is sponsored by the National BookFoundation.
The first award was presented in 1950, and since then thedistinction has come to recognize “America’s most gifted andoriginal writers,” the National Book Foundation’s Web sitestates.
There are 20 finalists in four genres honored — fiction,nonfiction, poetry and young people’s literature.
The winners are selected by five-member, independent judgingpanels for each genre and receive a $10,000 cash award accompaniedby a bronze statue. Each finalist receives a bronze medal and a$1,000 cash award. The winners of the prize will be announced nextmonth at the foundation’s annual benefit dinner in New York.
“We are thrilled,” Leichum said. “I just think that it iswonderful that they are recognizing works from a lesser known butvery talented author. We are very proud to have published thebook.”
NU Press was able to pick up the book after Editor in ChiefSusan Betz reviewed the novel and saw its artistic value, Leichumsaid
The national attention garnered by the book will probablyincrease its sales, Leichum added.
Almost immediately after Schutt’s novel was announced as afinalist, major distributors such as Amazon.com, Barnes & Nobleand Borders put in orders to carry the book.
NU Press director, Donna Shear, said she estimates the novelwill sell between 5,000 and 10,000 copies as a finalist, and ifawarded as the winner, sales could at least double.
NU Press also is publishing another work by Schutt in the comingmonths — a short story collection called “A Day, A Night, AnotherDay, Summer.”
Only a few years ago, NU Press was struggling financially. Muchhas changed since then, Shear said. After the recent successes of”Florida,” along with Imre Kertesz’s Nobel Prize winning book,”Fateless,” published in 2002, the company is experiencing abrighter financial picture, said Shear.
With the recent accolades and new editorial direction, the pressis solidifying a “firmer foundation.”
The company has found ways recently to focus its efforts. Onedirection is to publish regional works dealing with Chicago and theMidwest. For example, NU Press is working on an upcoming book aboutthe history of Chicago theater.
The press also has published texts of plays and about theater ingeneral, including “Metamorphoses” by Tony Award-winningCommunication Prof. Mary Zimmerman.
The press also is working with the Kellogg School of Managementand the Medill School of Journalism to publish works in theirspecialties, Shear said.
Shear said NU Press is currently in the process of reprinting”Florida” and expects the Book Award finalist to be in majorbookstores within the next few weeks.
“We are a good university press and we are proud of what wepublish,” said Shear. “It is a good feeling when outsidersrecognize it.”
Reach Robert Stein at [email protected].
