Lori Roy

Congratulations to WIP Alumna Lori Roy (’06, ’08, ’09).  Lori was recently signed by literary agent Jenny Bent at The Bent Agency. Her novel, BENT ROAD, was bought at auction by Denise Roy at Dutton. BENT ROAD is slated for publication in 2010.

In addition to attending Writers in Paradise, Lori has also studied at the Solstice Summer Writers’ Conference at Pine Manor College.

Congrats, Lori!!!

Angie Jones

Congrats to Angie Jones (WIP ’06, ’08, ’09) whose free-verse poem “Berry Picking” and personal essay “A Test of Love” appeared in the 2009 Eckerd Review.

Angie will also have the opportunity to serve as a PEL student representative on the Editorial Board of the 2010 Eckerd Review, the literary review of Eckerd College.

Congrats, Angie!

John (Jack) Vanek

Congratulations to Jack Vanek!

Jack’s book of poems, Heart Murmurs: Poems, has been published by Bird Dog Publishing. You can purchase a copy either through Bird Dog Publishing or directly from Jack by contacting him via his website.

Jack also received “Best Of” honors at the 2009 Writers in Paradise writers’ conference in Laura Lippman’s Novel II workshop for the excerpt of his novel, Deros. An excerpt of Deros will appear in Sabal Volume 4 later this summer. To pre-order, please click here.

Congrats, again, Jack!

Phillippe Diederich

Congrats to WIP Alumnus, Phillippe Diederich. Phillippe’s short story “Flaco” has received honorable mention in The Atlantic Monthly’s Student Writing Contest.

He worked on this story for a recent short story workshop at Eckerd College.

Congrats, Phillippe!

Lily Prellezo

Congrats to WIP Alumna, Lily Prellezo.  Her book, written in collaboration with Jose Basulto;  Seagull One: The True Story of Jose Basulto and Brothers to the Rescue will be published in Fall 2010 by the University Press of Florida.

The nonfiction narrative tells the story of the seventeen nationalities that came together in multi-ethnic Miami to save the lives of the rafters leaving Cuba during the 1990s. On February 24, 1996, Castro ordered two planes shot down, killing three Americans and one U.S. resident. The pilots were a broad spectrum of ex-CIA freedom-fighters, teenage pilots, and soccer moms.

Congrats, Lily!