NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� A $10,000 literary award named for the late author-editor-podcaster Gabe Hudson has been established by the publisher McSweeney's, where Hudson once worked.
The inaugural winner, Ayana Mathis' 鈥淭he Unsettled,鈥� was announced Thursday, on what would have been Hudson's 53rd birthday. He died last year from complications due to undiagnosed diabetes. Hudson published two books, the story collection 鈥淒ear Mr. President鈥� and the novel 鈥淕ork the Teenage Dragon," and was widely admired for his support of other writers.
鈥淚t is the privilege of a lifetime to become part of Gabe鈥檚 legacy of generosity, literary community, and artistic excellence as the inaugural recipient of this distinguished award,鈥� Mathis said in a statement.
The prize, which honors the best second work of fiction of the previous year, was decided upon by a four-judge panel led by novelist Akhil Sharma. Hudson's mother, Sanchia Semere, provided funding for the award.
鈥淕abe, my son, wanted to be a writer from a young age. He was a voracious reader, and was friends with many in the writing community, as well as a friend to many who sought his advice on writing," Semere said in a statement. 鈥淚 recall Gabe submitting to McSweeney鈥檚 early on, and the thrill he experienced when McSweeney鈥檚 published a submission. I can think of no better way for Gabe鈥檚 name to live on than to establish the Gabe Hudson Prize at McSweeney鈥檚 to award writers whose second books exemplify the notions of humor, satire and the generosity of spirit for which Gabe was known.鈥�
Runners-up for the Hudson prize were Justin Torres' 鈥淏lackouts,鈥� Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah's 鈥淐hain Gang All-Stars鈥� and Hilary Leichter's 鈥淭errace Story.鈥�
Hillel Italie, The Associated Press
