Vice President
Lauren Francis-Sharma
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staff
Chloe Aridjis
Chloe Aridjis is a Mexican American writer who grew up in the Netherlands and Mexico. She is the author of three novels, Book of Clouds, which won the Prix du Premier Roman Etranger in France, Asunder, set in London’s National Gallery, and Sea Monsters. Chloe...
Sea Monsters
Sea Monsters by Chloe Aridjis
Charles Finch
Charles Finch is the author of several nationally bestselling novels, among them The Inheritance (Minotaur, 2016) and The Last Enchantments (St. Martin’s, 2014). His criticism regularly appears in The New York Times, Washington Post, Slate, New York, The Guardian, and...
Bernice L. McFadden
Bernice L. McFadden
Alexi Zentner
Alexi Zentner
How Literary Characters Have Shaped My Life by Isabel Callahan
“I would say I most relate to Ross from Friends.” Laying on my mom’s studio carpet, phone pressed to my ear, I smiled in response to my friend’s observation. We were in the midst of a conversation about which TV show characters we relate to the most and, after...
4 Unexpected Lessons I Have Learned from Reading Novels by Melissa Young
I have been reading since I was two years old, and there are so many reasons that I fall in love with a book. Sometimes the way a sentence is written is so beautiful, I read it over and over to let it fill my soul with its magic. Sometimes the way a character is...
Mary Haft
Mary Haft (she/her) is a writer, producer, and founder of Haft Productions, LLC, specializing in documentaries for nonprofits. She is the author of Nantucket: Portrait of an American Town and one of the founding partners of the Nantucket Book Festival. Recently, she...
Jojo Ruf
Vice President
Willee Lewis
Vice President
Donna Hemans
Secretary
TWR with Aida Salazar: A Virtual Success
This fall, we were joined by wonderful interns who each wrote about an experience at an author visit that impacted them. We are thrilled to present this essay by Isabel Callahan and Melissa Young, our Literary Outreach/Education Programs interns. “So...
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Isabel Callahan
This fall, we were joined by wonderful interns who each wrote about an experience at an author visit that impacted them. We are delighted to present this essay by Isabel Callahan, one of our Literary Outreach/Education Programs interns. Visit Story – Patrice...
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Melissa Young
This fall, we were joined by wonderful interns who each wrote about an experience at an author visit that impacted them. We are delighted to present this essay by Melissa Young, one of our Literary Outreach/Education Programs interns. DC International School’s...
Thomas Lloyd
Treasurer
2020 PEN/Malamud Award Ceremony
DATE | December 4, 2020 at 7:30 PM
LOCATION | Online Event
The 2020 PEN/Malamud Award Ceremony celebrated Lydia Davis. This year’s event featured a reading, an in-depth conversation and a Q&A about Ms. Davis’ work, and remarks by Janna Malamud Smith, Bernard Malamud’s daughter. The cceremony was hosted in partnership with the MFA Program in Creative Writing at American University.
Our History
Championing the Breadth and Power of Fiction The work of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation began in 1980, when National Book Award-winner Mary Lee Settle set out to create a new prize for fiction in the United States. Judged entirely by writers, free of commercial...
Why Literary Education Matters
As has been established by multiple research studies, books and reading have a profound impact on a child’s academic achievement and post-graduation employment success. A 2012 report by Princeton University and the Brookings Institution found that “over the past forty...
Morgan Jerkins
Morgan Jenkins, Author
Nisi Shawl
Nisi Shawl, Author
Rion Amilcar Scott
Rion Amilcar Scott, Author
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood, Author
ESCAPE
DATE | November 23, 2020 at 7:00 PM
LOCATION | Online Event
Literature provides the perfect opportunity to escape into new worlds in an attempt to cope with and understand all that happens in our own.
This riveting Literary Conversation featured Margaret Atwood, Rion Amilcar Scott, Nisi Shawl, and moderator Morgan Jerkins.
Anne K. Aaron
Board Member
Elliot Ackerman
Board Member
Marie Arana
Board Member
Jabari Asim
Board Member
Lisa Brooks
Board Member
Kara Chiles
Board Member
Johanna Copeland
Board Member
Tope Folarin
Board Member
Susan Ginsburg
Board Member
Louis Bayard
Board Member
Xochitl Gonzalez
Board Member
Daniel Pink
Daniel Pink, Author
Stephen King
Stephen King, Author
Emma Donoghue
Emma Donoghue, Author
Lauren Beukes
Lauren Beukes, Author
Jackson R. Bryer
Board Member
VIRUS
DATE | October 19, 2020 at 7:00 PM
LOCATION | Online Event
The COVID-19 pandemic has completely changed the way we live our lives. It has also shown us our weak points and failures as a society.
This fascinating and especially relevant conversation featured literary powerhouses Stephen King (The Stand), Lauren Beukes (Afterland), and Emma Donoghue (The Pull of the Stars). They were joined by moderator and author Daniel H. Pink.
Molly Elkin
Board Member
Renée K. Gardner
Board Member
Caroline Kepnes
Caroline Kepnes, Author
Penn Badgley
Penn Badgley stars as Joe Goldberg in Netflix’s thriller series, "YOU," based on Caroline Kepnes’ best-selling novel of the same name. Badgley was last seen on the big screen in "Greetings" from Tim Buckley, for which he won the highly sought-after role to star as...
Chris Klimek
Chris Klimek, Journalist and Critic
Linette S. Hwu
Board Member
Angie Kim
Board Member
YOU
DATE | Wed, September 23, 2020, 7:00 PM
LOCATION | Online Event
This third installment of Literature on Screen features Caroline Kepnes, author of the best-selling book turned hit Netflix series, You. Caroline was in conversation with Penn Badgley, actor and star of the TV adaptation, and moderator Chris Klimek (NPR, Washington Post) to discuss the translation of her books to the hit Netflix series, as well as the modernization of stalking in the digital age that takes place in her novels.
Sophia McCrocklin
Board Member
Clay Smith
Board Member
Ginny Grenham
Board Member
Katherine Field Stephen
Board Member
Bethanne Patrick
Board Member
Joanne Leedom-Ackerman
Board Member
Tony Lewis Jr.
Board Member
Malcolm O’Hagan
Board Member
Ericka Taylor
Board Member
Martha Anne Toll
Board Member
Lisa Wardell
Board Member
Lisa Page
Board Member
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Alice Tsai
We continue our spotlight on the wonderful interns we worked with this spring with an essay by our Research and Evaluation intern, Alice Tsai. As the population of the United States becomes increasingly diverse, it is important that students are in classrooms that are...
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Natalie Davis (Part 2)
This spring, we were joined by incredible interns who each wrote essays inspired by their time in the organization. We are thrilled to present the second essay by Natalie Davis, our spring Education Programs intern. “Twilight Is My Harry Potter” Author’s Note: The...
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Natalie Davis (Part 1)
This spring, we were joined by Natalie Davis, our amazing Education Programs intern, who wrote two essays inspired by her time in the organization. We are excited to share the first of them with you. “A Street Where Books and YouTube Meet” There was a time where I...
Lydia Davis Wins the 2020 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story
WASHINGTON, DC—The PEN/Faulkner Foundation announces that Lydia Davis has been selected as the winner of the 2020 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story. Presented since 1988 in honor of the late Bernard Malamud, the award recognizes...
A Statement from Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Chair and Tracy B. McGillivary, President
PEN/Faulkner extends its condolences to the family and friends of George Floyd and the countless black families who have lost loved ones at the hands of the police. We stand in solidarity with activists, racial justice advocates, and other members of the...
Our Video Celebration of the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award
Please join us in paying tribute to our 2020 winner of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, Chloe Aridjis’ Sea Monsters, as well as our four finalists: Yiyun Li’s Where Reasons End; Peter Rock’s The Night Swimmers; Maurice Carlos Ruffin’s We Cast a Shadow; and Ocean...
Announcing the Winner of the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction: SEA MONSTERS by Chloe Aridjis
WASHINGTON, DC—Chloe Aridjis’ Sea Monsters (Catapult) has been selected as the winner of the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. “In these extraordinary times, the written word has never been so important or healing,” said Louis Bayard, PEN/Faulkner...
Announcing the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Finalists
Judges have selected the five finalists for the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, America’s largest peer-juried prize for fiction. The finalists are Sea Monsters by Chloe Arijdis(Catapult), Where Reasons End by Yiyun Li(Random...
WIRED
DATE | February 27, 2020 at 7:00 PM
LOCATION | Jack Morton Auditorium, 805 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052
According to the NIMH, almost twenty percent of American adults live with a mental illness. From social anxiety and depression to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, mental illness is becoming more prevalent in today’s society and everyday dialogue.
The 40th Anniversary PEN/Faulkner Award Celebration
Monday, May 4 at The Willard Hotel 6:30 pm, Cocktails 7:30 pm, Dinner and Award Program Join us on the 40th anniversary of the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction as we celebrate this year’s distinguished books and authors. This exquisite literary evening—our sole...
Announcing the 2020 PEN/Faulkner Award Longlist
In honor of the 40th anniversary of the PEN/Faulkner Award, we asked this year’s award judges to select a long list of the ten most significant books published in 2019. We are pleased to announce the following books which have been longlisted for the 2020 PEN/Faulkner...
Wired: A Literary Conversation on Mental Health – Tickets On Sale Now!
We are excited to announce that our first Literary Conversation of 2020, Wired, will be held on Thursday, February 27. Tickets can be purchased here. According to the NIMH, almost twenty percent of American adults live with a mental illness. From social anxiety and...
Black Lives Matter Week of Action
Ten percent. In 2018, that was the percentage of published children’s books that featured a character who was African or African American. Ten percent. The total percentage of children’s books featuring African or African American, Asian Pacific American, Latinx, or...
Deborah Tannen
Board Member
Celebrating Our Education Programs
The name PEN/Faulkner may conjure images of literary delights, from dynamic authors in conversation to our prestigious, peer-juried awards in fiction and the short story. Alongside these nationally-reaching endeavors, we bring more than one hundred writers to schools...
Don’t Skip Out on Me
Don’t Skip Out on Me by Willy Vlautin
Love War Stories by Ivelisse Rodriguez
Love War Stories by Ivelisse Rodriguez
The Overstory
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Tomb of the Unknown Racist
Tomb of the Unknown Racist by Blanche McCrary Boyd
Call Me Zebra
Call Me Zebra by Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi. 2019 PEN/Faulkner Award Winner
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Sabrina Sthay
This fall, PEN/Faulkner had the privilege of being joined by three amazing interns. Before they left us, they each wrote essays inspired by their time in the organization. It’s our honor to share them with you. We started with a piece by Anique Jones, continued with a...
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Demory Hobbs
This fall, PEN/Faulkner had the privilege of being joined by three amazing interns. Before they left us, they each wrote essays inspired by their time in the organization. It’s our honor to share them with you. We started with a piece by Anique Jones, and we're...
Voices from PEN/Faulkner Interns: Anique Jones
This fall, PEN/Faulkner had the privilege of being joined by three amazing interns. Before they left us, they each wrote essays inspired by their time in the organization. It’s our honor to share them with you, starting with this piece by Anique Jones: LOOKING THROUGH...
Jung Yun
Board Member
Get Your Tickets to Unincarcerated!
Don't miss our next Literary Conversation on Thursday, November 21 at 7pm! Featuring authors Reginald Dwayne Betts, Dr. DaMaris B. Hill, Luis Rodriguez, and Tony Lewis Jr., and presented in partnership with Impact/Justice and MahoganyBooks! Tickets on sale now:...
UNINCARCERATED
Date | November 21, 2019 at 7:00 PM
Location | True Reformer Building, 1200 U Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
This event featured authors who write about the effects of this system on the lives of everyday Americans, shedding light on narratives that are often oversimplified or ignored.
Read the RISE UP! Essays from PEN/Faulkner’s 31st Annual Gala
On Saturday, October 26th, PEN/Faulkner hosted its 31st annual Gala at the Katzen Center for the Arts. The theme for the evening was "RISE UP!" and 10 incredibly talented writers wrote three-minute essays and poems about what those words meant to them. We were very...
WORDS AND PICTURES
DATE | October 9, 2019 at 7:00 PM
Location | Penn Social, 801 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20004
What happens when the visual arts meet the literary arts?
Join the PEN/Faulkner Foundation for an evening of conversation with some of the biggest names in graphic novels, as they talk about artistic collaborations and the evolution of storytelling in a new era.
Don’t Miss Our First Literary Conversation of the Season!
PEN/Faulkner's first Literary Conversation will focus on the role of graphic novels and comics in today's world of visual media. Tickets on sale now! What happens when the visual arts meet the literary arts? For years, comic books and cartoons have dominated the realm...
Tickets Now on Sale for PEN/Faulkner’s Annual Gala!
The PEN/Faulkner Foundation's Chair, Co-Chairs, Honorary Co-Chairs, Benefit Committee, and Board of Directors request the pleasure of your company at THE 31ST ANNUAL PEN/FAULKNER GALA Saturday, October 26, 2019 Katzen Arts Center, American University 4400...
Youth Essay Contest Winners and Runners-up!
PEN/Faulkner is excited to announce the winners and runners-up for this year's Youth Essay Contest! Writers were asked to submit personal essays on the theme of "Rise Up." Each of the winners and runners-up will receive a monetary prize, and the two winners will read...
Voices from PEN/Faulkner’s Interns
This summer, PEN/Faulkner had the privilege of being joined by three amazing interns: Jess Karan, Anna Hotard, and Olivia Guerrero. Before they left us, they each wrote essays inspired by their time in the organization. It's our honor to share them with you. QUEERING...
Save the Date for PEN/Faulkner’s 2019 Gala!
The 2019 PEN/Faulkner Gala will be held on Saturday, October 26th at the Katzen Arts Center at American University! Don't miss out on this evening of incredible literature!
Announcing the 2019 PEN/Malamud Award Winner
WASHINGTON, DC—John Edgar Wideman has been selected as the winner of the 2019 PEN/Malamud Award for Excellence in the Short Story. Given since 1988 in honor of the late Bernard Malamud, the award recognizes a body of work that demonstrates excellence in the art of...
Announcing the 2019 PEN/Faulkner Award Winner
WASHINGTON, DC—Azareen Van der Vliet Oloomi’s Call Me Zebra (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) has been selected as the winner of the 2019 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. “We are truly delighted to be able to honor such a rare and remarkable work of art,” said PEN/Faulkner...
THE HATE U GIVE
DATE | April 30, 2019 at 7:30 PM
LOCATION | AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center
8633 Colesville Rd
Silver Spring, MD 20910
We welcomed author Angie Thomas and actor Russell Hornsby to DC where they discussed the translation of the bestselling novel, The Hate U Give, to the critically acclaimed movie adaptation, as well as the very real events that inspired the story.
4/30 | Literature On Screen: The Hate U Give
Don't miss our final Literary Conversation of the season on Tuesday, April 30th at AFI Silver Theater and Cultural Center! Get your tickets now! Join us in welcoming author Angie Thomas and actor Russell Hornsby to DC as they discuss the translation of the bestselling...
“Diverse Voices in Latinx Children’s Literature” Mini-Conference
In early March I attended the “Diverse Voices in Latinx Children’s Literature” Mini-Conference at the Bank Street College of Education in New York where I had the opportunity to listen to panels about graphic novels and pictures books and how these authors use their...
Announcing the 2019 PEN/Faulkner Award Finalists
Judges have selected the five finalists for the 2019 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, America’s largest peer-juried prize for fiction. The finalists are: Blanche McCrary Boyd for Tomb of the Unknown Racist (Counterpoint), Richard Powers for The Overstory (W.W....
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