Holly Carver, director of the UI Press, said, "After seeing James [Freedman] relishing Iowa City's bookstores during his years here, I knew of his passion for books and reading. After working with him on the publication of 'Liberal Education and the Public Interest,' I began to understand his deeply rooted commitment to liberal arts education. Linking James' name with our renowned Iowa Short Fiction Award thus makes perfect sense, and we are proud to do so. In many ways the Iowa Short Fiction Award is a perfect way to honor him."
James Alan McPherson, a Iowa Writers' Workshop faculty member and author of the Pulitzer Prize winning "Elbow Room," says, "James Freedman was the most avid lover of books that I've ever met. Based on his reading, he was able to identify with people far, far beyond his own background. He was truly an American. It is a wonderful tribute to the range of his imagination that the Iowa Short Fiction Award books will each year be honoring him."
Lan Samantha Chang, director of the Iowa Writers' Workshop adds, "We are delighted at this opportunity to honor James O. Freedman, a beloved friend and supporter of the workshop and of its emerging writers." Press ReleaseAbout the prize winner Don Waters:
Waters was born and raised in Reno, Nev., and now lives in Berkeley, Cal. He's received numerous honors for his writing, including fellowships from the Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and the Jentel Foundation, as well as the McGinnis-Ritchie Award from the Southwest Review. His stories have been published in Epoch, StoryQuarterly, the Kenyon Review, the Santa Monica Review and ZYZZYVA.