I am thrilled to be able to pass along this press release I received yesterday announcing that Western Fictioneers has awarded Jory Sherman its first ever Life Achievement Peacemaker Award.

Jory is a Pulitzer-nominated author who has written hundreds of novels over his fifty-year career. He is also a world-class poet who cut his teeth in San Francisco as one of the members of the beat generation. His Pulitzer nomination came from his classic Western epic Grass Kingdom.

Through my participation in the Northeast Texas Writers Organization (NETWO), I came to know Jory Sherman about five years ago. When I first began to write long form fiction, I hired Jory as my writing coach.  The time I spent with him was invaluable.  I have often told people that Jory gave me permission to write.

One thing Jory says to his students is that “all you need to write your book is already within you.”  I understand this to mean that an author’s life experiences comprise the fuel for his writing. All the fuel needs is a spark.

For me, Jory kindled that spark. He would praise me for what he thought I did well, and nudge me to do better when my writing fell short. He could be gracious and tough.

I spent a number of days sitting in Jory’s writing cabin talking about what made a good story. He, as much as anyone I have known, inhabits a world of ideas and creativity.  Even though he is approaching eighty, he continues to write page after page of timeless, poetic prose.

Congratulations, Jory.  Western Fictioneers couldn’t have made a more deserving choice.