Out of all the National Book Award fiction finalists announced today, one writer had the Twittersphere buzzing–Bonnie Jo Campbell’s nomination for “American Salvage,” published by Wayne State University Press.
Washington Post Book World editor Ron Charles summed it up in this tweet: “AMERICAN SALVAGE (Wayne State) is the NBA’s version of last year’s NBCC-nominated BALLAD OF TRENCHMOUTH TAGGERT (W Va UP). The “Huh?” slot.” Journalist (and former GalleyCat editor) Sarah Weinman pointed out that Campbell may have “the greatest bio of a National Book Award finalist ever,” and we heartily agree.
Here’s an excerpt from Campbell’s intriguing backstory: “I’m a writer living in an unfinished house in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with my husband Christopher and other animals. I am six- feet tall and I drive a 1985 Chevy pick-up truck with a rebuilt 350 small-block engine. My first novel QRoad was released September 2002 and Kraftbrau Brewery in Kalamazoo has created a specialty beer, Q Brew, to celebrate the occasion.”