Acclaimed author and Lyon College alumnus John Hornor Jacobs will give a public reading and receive the prestigious Leila Lenore Heasley Prize for Fiction on Tuesday, Oct. 22, at 7 p.m. in the Bevens Music Room at Lyon College in Batesville.
The Leila Lenore Heasley Prize for Fiction, presented annually to a noted writer, is a recognition endowed by Lyon alumna Martha Heasley Cox and named for her sister.
The event is free and open to the public, and no reservation or ticket is required.
Jacobs, a celebrated writer, screenwriter and co-creator of the forthcoming narrative podcast “The Listening Station,” is renowned for his work across various literary genres. His debut novel, “Southern Gods,” was a finalist for the Bram Stoker Award for Excellence in a First Novel and won the Darrell Award. Described by The Onion AV as “a sumptuous Southern Gothic thriller steeped in the distinct American mythologies of Cthulhu and the blues,” “Southern Gods” has garnered widespread critical acclaim.
A 1994 Lyon College alumnus, Jacobs has also made his mark with “This Dark Earth,” which author Brian Keene hailed as “the best zombie novel I’ve read in years.” His young adult trilogy, beginning with “The Twelve-Fingered Boy,” has been praised by Cory Doctorow as “amazing” and “mesmerizing.” Jacobs’s first fantasy novel, “The Incorruptibles,” was shortlisted for the Morningstar and Gemmell Awards in the UK. Pat Rothfuss described the novel as “strange alchemy” blending elements of ancient Rome, the Wild West and Faustian myth.
Jacobs’s recent work includes “A Lush and Seething Hell,” which was shortlisted for the Shirley Jackson Award and the World Fantasy Award and has been optioned for television. His fiction has appeared in prominent publications such as Playboy, Cemetery Dance and Apex Magazine, while his essays have been featured on CBS Weekly and the Huffington Post.
“For over 25 years, the Heasley Prize event has been bringing unique voices to campus, and John Hornor Jacobs is no exception,” said Dr. Terrell Tebbetts, Martha Heasley Cox Chair in American Literature at Lyon College. “In his work, John blends Southern Gothic, horror and fantasy, creating a fresh, exciting take on American storytelling. John is the first Lyon graduate to receive this award, so we are especially thrilled to have him share his talents with our students and the broader community.”
Image provided by Lyon College
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