Local writers win national awards

Four local authors of children's books have won national literary awards from the American Library Association. Announced last week at the group's meeting in Philadelphia, the local winners are:

"Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything in It" by Sundee T. Frazier (Delacorte) won the American Library Association's Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award. For readers ages 9 to 12, this south King County-based novel explores a 10-year-old biracial boy's first awareness of how race and racism affect him.

"Bad Monkeys," by Seattle author Matt Ruff (HarperCollins), and "The Spellman Files," by Seattle author Lisa Lutz (Simon and Schuster), won Alex Awards. Alex Awards were created to recognize that many teens prefer books that are written for adults, and to assist librarians in recommending books for adults that will appeal to teenagers as well.

"The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," by Seattle author Sherman Alexie (Little, Brown), won a new award, the American Indian Youth Literature Award, in the young-adult category. Given by The American Indian Library Association (AILA), an affiliate of the American Library Association, this award was created as a way to honor the very best writing and illustrations by and about American Indians. This fall "Absolutely True Diary" also won the National Book Award in the young-adult category.

Copper Canyon gets anonymous gift

Copper Canyon Press of Port Townsend is the beneficiary of a $50,000 anonymous gift. It's truly anonymous — the press, which publishes prizewinning poetry, received the check in the mail from an investment bank in New Mexico.

Copper Canyon spokesman Denise Banker said that while the press occasionally receives anonymous gifts, one of this size is unprecedented. The gift will go directly toward creating and presenting the 18 new poetry collections the press plans to publish in 2008, including translations from Mexico, Spain, Norway, Sweden and Belarus, and new books from poets C.D. Wright, W.S. Merwin and Ruth Stone, among others.

Bellevue author's first novel scores

Robin Oliveira of Bellevue has won the 2007 James Jones First Novel Fellowship for her manuscript titled "The Last Beautiful Day." Beside the award and the prestige, Olivera wins $10,000. The award was established by admirers of James Jones, author of "From Here to Eternity."

Seattle poet wins prize for collection

Donna Stonecipher of Seattle is one of five winners of the National Poetry Series Prize for her collection of poems, to be published by Coffee House Press.

Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times book editor

El Guindi wins ACT prize

"Language Rooms," a new drama by Seattle-based playwright Yussef El Guindi, has won ACT Theatre's 2008 New Play Award. The honor carries a $2,500 prize contributed by ACT benefactors Eulalie M. and Gian-Carlo Scandiuzzi.

"Language Rooms" concerns an Arab-American interrogator working at a prison facility similar to Guantánamo. The subject resonates with El Guindi's well-traveled earlier play, "Back of the Throat," an award-winning 2004 script about an Arab-American writer under suspicion of terrorism.

ACT will host a free staged reading of "Language Rooms," at 7:30 p.m. March 7 and 8 (more information at or 206-292-7676 or www.acttheater.org).

Next Stage plansdebut season

Next Stage is planning a 2008 roster of three new plays for its premiere season.

Led by director Mark Jared Zufelt, Next Stage last year secured a two-year residency at Richard Hugo House — before it produced a single work.

The new group's stated mission is "to inspire audiences to take action by producing vital, progressive live theater" that questions and honors "issues facing our community." Its three productions will all be staged at Richard Hugo House, 1634 11th Ave., Seattle.

In March, the troupe will present the Northwest debut of "Demonology," Kelly Stuart's well-received satire of sex in the male-dominated workplace of a baby-formula company.

Next, in August, comes "43 Plays For 43 Presidents," a satirical take on our nation's leaders created by the Chicago's Neo-Futurists troupe.

Closing out the season, in November, comes "Island of Misfits" by Amy Boyce Holtcamp, a holiday-themed play about a trio of "oddball puppeteers."

Next week, Richard Hugo House will host a reception for Next Stage and the literary center's other new resident theater, SiS Productions. The free reception is set for 7 p.m. Tuesday.

And to subsidize some free performances during the season, Next Stage plans a Feb. 12 fundraiser: "Local Flavor: A Taste of Things to Come," with food and drink from Capitol Hill eateries and a season preview. Find more details at www.nextstage.org; tickets for the benefit, $15-$50, are at 800-838-3006 or 634 11th Ave., Seattle; www.brownpapertickets.com.

Misha Berson,Seattle Times theater critic