Campus Connection

UWL's Matt Cashion received Katherine Anne Porter Prize in fiction. Matt Cashion received the award for his latest book nearly a year ago — and he’ll officially launch the book Thursday, Nov. 5. The UWL associate professor of creative writing will be on hand at the Root Note, 115 4th St. S., from 7-7:45 p.m. where his book “Last Words of the Holy Ghost” will be available. He’ll give a brief reading and also sign copies of the award-winning short story collection. Cashion earned the 2015 Katherine Anne Porter Prize in fiction for his short story collection late last year. A committee and judge selected Cashion’s work based on merit from more than 250 submissions. The University of North Texas Press offered a cash prize and publication. “I’ve been writing (and re-writing) fiction for about 25 years, so it’s extremely gratifying to have my story collection chosen for this prize,” says Cashion. “Last Words of the Holy Ghost” is a collection of 12 stories featuring a cast of quirky characters and diverse points of views. Set in Georgia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Wisconsin, the stories are about people struggling to survive the absurdities and sorrows of daily life (often with well-timed humor) while negotiating conflicts related to class, gender, race, sexuality, family, place, work, death, love and storytelling itself. Cashion says it’s too hard to select a favorite among the dozen tales. “That might be like asking parents to name a favorite child, which could be difficult, even when they misbehave,” he explains. “I like that it's a diverse collection with a wide range of voices and points of views; the youngest narrator is nine, the oldest is 80 — they are women, men, straight, gay, white, African-American, rural and urban, poor and rich, tragic and comic. There's also a blind dog and an indoor chicken.” Cashion is enjoying favorable reviews. Kirkus Reviews writes: "A sublime collection that uses compassion and subtle humor to capture heavy moments in lives lived on the margins." The early success of the book has rekindled some interest in the short film inspired by the title story, directed by Ben Sharony. The film premiered at the Los Angeles Short Film Festival in 2011 and went on to win awards at two international film festivals. Cashion has been published before. His novel, “How the Sun Shines on Noise,” was published by Livingston Press in 2004. His second novel, “Our 13th Divorce,” is scheduled to be published in fall 2016. The book is also currently available online and will be in local bookstores soon. Read more about the book at www.mattcashion.com. If you go— Who: Matt Cashion, associate professor of creative writing What: Book release and signing for “Last Words of the Holy Ghost” When: 7-7:45 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5 Where: Root Note, 115 4th St. S. Admission: Free