Melanie Rae Thon
Encyclopedia
Melanie Rae Thon is an American
writer
, "widely regarded as one of the most original stylists writing fiction today." Thon has received grants from the National Foundation for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council
, and the Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation. She has taught at Emerson College
, Syracuse University
, University of Massachusetts Amherst
, Ohio State University
, and the University of Utah
in Salt Lake City. Born in Montana, Thon currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah
.
Thon is the author of three novels, Meteors in August, published in 1990; Iona Moon, published in 1993, and Sweet Hearts, published in 2001, and two short story
collections, Girls in the Grass, published in 1991 and First, Body, published in 1997.
Thon's short story "Letters in the Snow," is included in the The O. Henry Prize
Stories 2006. The story was first published in the June 20, 2004 issue of One Story
, a literary journal. "Letters in the Snow" is subtitled "for kind strangers and unborn children -- for the ones lost and most beloved." Her fiction has also been included in the anthology series Best American Short Stories
(1995, 1996).
In 1996, Granta
magazine included Thon on its list of the twenty Best Young American Novelists.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, "widely regarded as one of the most original stylists writing fiction today." Thon has received grants from the National Foundation for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council
Ohio Arts Council
The Ohio Arts Council is an agency serving the U.S. state of Ohio.Established in 1965, its mission is to "foster and encourage the development of the arts and assist the preservation of Ohio's cultural heritage." Each year it awards grants to arts organizations and individuals throughout the state...
, and the Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation. She has taught at Emerson College
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
, Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
, University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Massachusetts Amherst
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is a public research and land-grant university in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States and the flagship of the University of Massachusetts system...
, Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, and the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
in Salt Lake City. Born in Montana, Thon currently resides in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
.
Thon is the author of three novels, Meteors in August, published in 1990; Iona Moon, published in 1993, and Sweet Hearts, published in 2001, and two short story
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
collections, Girls in the Grass, published in 1991 and First, Body, published in 1997.
Thon's short story "Letters in the Snow," is included in the The O. Henry Prize
O. Henry Award
The O. Henry Award is the only yearly award given to short stories of exceptional merit. The award is named after the American master of the form, O. Henry....
Stories 2006. The story was first published in the June 20, 2004 issue of One Story
One Story
One Story is a literary magazine which publishes 18 issues a year, each issue containing a single short story. The magazine was founded in 2002 by writers Hannah Tinti and Maribeth Batcha...
, a literary journal. "Letters in the Snow" is subtitled "for kind strangers and unborn children -- for the ones lost and most beloved." Her fiction has also been included in the anthology series Best American Short Stories
Best American Short Stories
The Best American Short Stories yearly anthology is a part of The Best American Series published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Since 1915, the BASS anthology has striven to contain the best short stories by some of the best-known writers in contemporary American literature.-Edward O'Brien:The...
(1995, 1996).
In 1996, Granta
Granta
Granta is a literary magazine and publisher in the United Kingdom whose mission centers on its "belief in the power and urgency of the story, both in fiction and non-fiction, and the story’s supreme ability to describe, illuminate and make real." In 2007, The Observer stated, "In its blend of...
magazine included Thon on its list of the twenty Best Young American Novelists.
External links
- "Translation", SmokeLong Quarterly, September 15, 2006