2008 Woodie Awards
Author talks women's issues during reading
Dylan Kingsley
Issue date: 4/3/08 Section: Campus Life
Amanda Eyre Ward says that "Sleep Toward Heaven" was turned down by every publishing house in New York.
Finally, it was picked up by Random House Publishing Group in San Francisco. Now, the novel, which describes three women on death row, is being made into a movie starring actress Sandra Bullock.
"My only hope for the movie is that they get all of the dark humor in there," Ward told a group of 75 people who attended her reading on Thursday, March 27, in the Governors Room of the Overman Student Center.
Ward received her master of fine arts in fiction writing from the University of Montana, and has since had several short stories, essays and books published. She is also the winner of the Violet Crown Book Award, received for her debut novel "Sleep Toward Heaven."
Ward began by reading one of her short stories, which was inspired by the fear brought on by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
The story, "Should I Be Scared?" is an account of a woman's anxiety over terrorism and her struggle to find Cyproflaxin, the only known antibiotic against anthrax.
Ward then read the first chapter of her second novel, "How To Be Lost," which illustrates the life of Caroline, a 32-year-old woman living in New Orleans as a cocktail waitress who travels across the country in search of her long lost sister, Ellie
In terms of writing, Ward likes the sparse literary works of Richard Ford and Raymond Carver. But, Ward said, she struggled to find her own voice. She wanted to be more authentic and write about things she knew.
"I forgave myself and started writing as the voice of a woman who drinks a lot of Scotch, because that's who I am."
The reading was sponsored by the Student Fee Council and the Women's Studies Club as part of the Distinguished Visiting Writers Series.
Finally, it was picked up by Random House Publishing Group in San Francisco. Now, the novel, which describes three women on death row, is being made into a movie starring actress Sandra Bullock.
"My only hope for the movie is that they get all of the dark humor in there," Ward told a group of 75 people who attended her reading on Thursday, March 27, in the Governors Room of the Overman Student Center.
Ward received her master of fine arts in fiction writing from the University of Montana, and has since had several short stories, essays and books published. She is also the winner of the Violet Crown Book Award, received for her debut novel "Sleep Toward Heaven."
Ward began by reading one of her short stories, which was inspired by the fear brought on by the events of Sept. 11, 2001.
The story, "Should I Be Scared?" is an account of a woman's anxiety over terrorism and her struggle to find Cyproflaxin, the only known antibiotic against anthrax.
Ward then read the first chapter of her second novel, "How To Be Lost," which illustrates the life of Caroline, a 32-year-old woman living in New Orleans as a cocktail waitress who travels across the country in search of her long lost sister, Ellie
In terms of writing, Ward likes the sparse literary works of Richard Ford and Raymond Carver. But, Ward said, she struggled to find her own voice. She wanted to be more authentic and write about things she knew.
"I forgave myself and started writing as the voice of a woman who drinks a lot of Scotch, because that's who I am."
The reading was sponsored by the Student Fee Council and the Women's Studies Club as part of the Distinguished Visiting Writers Series.
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