Organizers of the Rebecca Mitchell Tarumoto Short Fiction Prize hope this year’s inaugural winner sets the standard for future awards. Kelly Cherry ’61 accepted the prize in March for her work On Familiar Terms, a story of multiple generations told in fewer than 20 pages. “The award is definitely starting out auspiciously with such an outstanding writer as Kelly Cherry,” said Gregory Donovan, senior editor of Blackbird, the online literary journal from which winners are selected. He said Cherry’s inaugural selection will make later winners “feel even more positive about the support it brings to their writing and their careers.” Blackbird editors selected Cherry’s work for its subtle narrative voice, masterful compression of time, and affectionate portrayal of character. The family of the late Tarumoto, an award-winning fiction writer, sponsors the prize, in part, to expand the audience for extraordinary short stories. The competition will pay particular attention to … [Read more...]