Friends of Literacy established the East Tennessee Writers Hall of Fame in 2004 to honor local and regional writers who have created an outstanding body of work. This year, Anna Laura Reeve is this year’s Hall of Fame Emerging Writer Award winner.
Reeve’s book Reaching the Shore of the Sea of Fertility was published in 2023. A graduate of the UT master’s program in literature and poetry writing, she is winner of the 2022 Adrienne Rich Award for Poetry and the 2019 Knoxville Writers Guild poetry contest.
Anna Laura’s reaction to this award: “Well, I’m really pleased and blown away both! Also. I love Friends of Literacy and everything they do to promote libraries and literacy in East Tennessee. Unbelievable honor to be recognized by such a generous and impressive organization!!”
A self-described native plant nerd, Anna Laura lives in Knoxville, where she gardens, bakes breads and cuts her own bangs.
Each week, we will be recognizing an inductee prior to the Hall of Fame Awards Gala on April 19. To purchase to tickets to the gala: Writers Hall of Fame Tickets.
Nominations are accepted from the public each year for the categories to include lifetime achievement, fiction, nonfiction, journalism, poetry, social media, playwriting, songwriting, children’s literature, and young adult literature.
An independent panel of judges evaluates nominees based on recognition within the writer’s field, longevity, quality, and volume of work. All nominees must have been born in, currently reside in, or have a body of work related to the East Tennessee region.
All of us have a story and I want to tell yours! Send them to susan@knoxtntoday.com