The Story Prize Event on March 6 at The New School: Get with the Program

Come to The Story Prize event on March 6 at The New School, and you'll not only get to see and hear writers Jamel Brinkley, Deborah Eisenberg, and Lauren Groff read from and discuss their work on stage but you'll also get to take home an eight-page, full-color program (cover below) designed by artist Calli Ryan.

At the event, you'll have the opportunity to buy from bookseller McNally Jackson signed copies of each author's short story collection, as well as copies of The Story Prize 15th anniversary anthology.

General admission tickets, which cost $14, are available online or at The New School Box office the evening of the event.

Chalk Talk: The Story Prize Event on Feb. 28

Here's an advanced look at the program cover for The Story Prize event on Feb. 28, co-sponsored by the Creative Writing program at The New School. As always, everyone who attends will get an eight-page, full color booklet (designed by Steven J. Charny). You'll also get to see the finalists—listed on the faux bookstore chalkboard above—read from and discuss their work onstage before Julie Lindsey announces the winner.

Tickets are $14, available online (with a small added fee) or the night of the event at The New School box office (66 W. 12th St.). Also, bookseller McNally Jackson will be selling signed copies of the finalists' books.

We're excited about hosting Daniel Alarcón, Ottessa Moshfegh, and Elizabeth Strout and hope to see you there.

Into the Woods: The Story Prize Event on March 8

The Story Prize event is only a few weeks away, on March 8, at The New School's auditorium at 66 W. 12 St., home of our co-sponsor, The New School Creative Writing Program. That night, finalists Rick Bass, Anna Noyes, and Helen Maryles Shankman will read from their work and discuss it onstage. Tickets are $14. Here's a peek at the front cover of the eight-page, color program we'll be passing out that night:

The design, which evokes the forests that play a part in all three books, is by Steven J. Charny.

A Glimpse of Kristen Radtke's Stunning Front Cover Art for The Story Prize Program

We invited graphic essayist Kristen Radtke to provide the front cover art for the program for The Story Prize event this year, and we are very lucky that she said yes to creating an original image for us. What you see here is just part of that cover—a sneak preview. Everyone who attends the event will get to take home the 8-page full color program, designed by Steven Charny, who carries through the themes of Radtke's beautiful illustration throughout.

If you want to see the finalists for The Story Prize—Francesca Marciano, Elizabeth McCracken, and Lorrie Moore—read from and discuss their work on-stage and take home a copy of the program, buy a ticket and join us.

The Story Prize Event: Get Your Program

We produce a full color, eight page program for each Story Prize event, and this time, thanks to our designer—Rolling Stone Senior Art Director Steven Charny—an original illustration by Tomar Hanuka graces the cover. Hanuka was one of four artists who helped create the award winning animated film Waltz with Bashir.

To photograph the event, we've enlisted Beowulf Sheehan, who takes exceptional portraits of writers and musicians. You'll see some of the pictures from the event on this blog and on our Web site in the days that follow.

In addition, we've eliminated the intermission to keep the event moving. And we've upgraded the private reception afterward. Once again, leading independent bookseller McNally Jackson will be selling copies of the books.

Of course, we're most excited about our three finalists: Don DeLillo, Steven Millhauser, and Edith Pearlman, who will read from their work and sit down to talk with me at The New School's Tishman Auditorium on March 21 at 7:30. I imagine this will be the only opportunity to see these three great writers at one event. Tickets (general admission $14, student $10) are going fast. Those who can't make it will have to wait for the video that The New School will post a couple of weeks later.

Illustration: Tomar Hanuka