eBranch Blog

October 19, 2007

2007 WILLA Literary Awards Announced

The 2007 WILLA Literary Awards have been announced. Awards are presented to the winners and finalists at the annual conference held October 19 - 21. The WILLA Literary Awards are presented to the best books about women and the West published in 2006.

The WILLA fiction winners are listed below. See the WILLA Literary Award website for complete listings.

Contemporary Fiction
K.L. Cook. The Girl From Charnelle
It's 1960 in the Panhandle town of Charnelle, Texas ? a year and a half since sixteen-year-old Laura Tate's mother boarded a bus and mysteriously disappeared. Assuming responsibility for the Tate household, Laura cares for her father and three brothers and outwardly maintains a sense of calm. But her balance is upset and the repercussions of her family%'s struggles are revealed when a chance encounter with a married man leads Laura into a complicated relationship for which she is unprepared.
--Publisher comments (William Morrow & Company)

Historical Fiction
Elizabeth Crook. The Night Journal
Meg Mabry has spent her life with her back turned to her legendary family legacy. When an unexpected discovery casts doubt on the history recorded by her great-grandmother, Meg succumbs to the allure of the family stories in order to unlock an old mystery.
--Publisher Comments (Viking Books)

Children's/Young Adult Fiction & Nonfiction
Sheila Wood Foard. Harvey Girl
Fiesty 14-year-old Clara struggles to make her own way as a Harvey Girl--a waitress in one of the Harvey Eating Houses on the Santa Fe Railroad. Taking one of the few opportunities available for 19th century women, Clara leaves behind her Ozark background, becoming strong and confident.