NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� Ten emerging writers, from an author of speculative fiction to a poet rooted in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, have received $50,000 grants from the .
Since 1985, the foundation has had a mission to nurture 鈥渘ew creations鈥� by supporting poets, playwrights and authors of fiction and nonfiction. Past winners have included Andr茅 Aciman and .
This week, the foundation announced its class of 2025. Elwin Cofman writes speculative fiction that Whiting judges say offers 鈥渋lluminating sites of bawdy humor and horror,鈥� while Karisma Price crafts post-Katrina poems that are 鈥渟ongs, howls, portraits, critiques.鈥� Judges praised the essays of Aisha Sabatini Sloan for their 鈥渟tartling connections between the personal and the collective.鈥�
The other winners were dramatist Liza Birkenmeier, fiction writers Samuel K峄嵦乴谩w峄峫茅, Shubha Sunder and Claire Luchette, graphic fiction writer Emil Ferris, poet Annie Wenstrup and nonfiction writer Sofi Thanhauser.
鈥淭hese writers demonstrate astounding range; each has invented the tools they needed to carve out their narratives and worlds,鈥� Courtney Hodell, Whiting鈥檚 director of literary programs, said in a statement. 鈥淭aken as a whole, their work shows a sharply honed sensitivity to our history, both individual and collective, and a passionate curiosity as to where a deeper understanding of that history can take us.鈥�
The Associated Press
