March 27, 2008

Malae a 2008 Young Lions Fiction Award Finalist

Peter Nathaniel Malae’s first collection of short fiction, Teach the Free Man: Stories, is one of five finalists for the 2008 Young Lions Fiction Award sponsored by the New York Public Library. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony hosted by actor Ethan Hawke in New York on April 28th.
“We are honored to have a book whose author is being recognized by the Young Lions program,” said David Sanders, director of Ohio University Press. “Peter’s writing deserves the attention it’s been getting.”
The New York Public Library Young Lions Fiction Award is a $10,000 prize awarded each spring to a writer age 35 or younger for a novel or a collection of short stories. Established in 2001, this award recognizes the work of young authors and celebrates their accomplishments publicly.
Teach the Free Man was published in the spring of 2007. The stories in the collection revolve around characters whose lives are or have been affected by incarceration.
“I still have a very visceral response to the stories,” noted Sanders, who said he was initially drawn to Malae’s powerful use of language and the compelling storylines. “I think Peter does a remarkable job of portraying the fragility of characters who walk a fine line in their lives.”