NEWS

MARSHALL, Ill.—One final gift of $20,000 from the estate of noted author and playwright Jon Shirota, one of the last living members of the Lowney Handy Writers Colony (co-founded by From Here to Eternity author James Jones), has put a fitting exclamation mark at the end of his years of support for a creative writing… Continue reading Generous estate gift from writers’ colony member

The 30th annual James Jones First Novel Fellowship has been awarded to Rose Whitmore for her novel-in-progress, Feats of Strength in the Time of Hoxha. Michael Hawley, for Galla Placidia, and Alice Hawari, for History of Paradise, were named runners-up. A record number of more than 700 entries were submitted this year. The awards are… Continue reading 2021 James Jones Fellow and runners-up named

George Hendrick, a prolific scholar of 19th and 20th century literature and history and the first president of the James Jones Literary Society, passed away June 18, 2021, at the age of 92. Dr. Hendrick was a prolific scholar of 19th and 20th century literature and history, publishing more than 30 books and articles. He… Continue reading George Hendrick: Jones scholar, first James Jones Literary Society president

The Lowney Handy Award and Scholarship in Creative Writing was presented this year to Megann Kellum. Marshall High School (Marshall, Illinois) English teacher Amy Gard reviewed more than half a dozen essay applications for the award which includes a $500 scholarship established by Jon Shirota. The award honors Lowney Handy who, along with her husband,… Continue reading Lowney Handy Scholarship Winner Selected

Each year, the James Jones Literary Society sponsors a contest for seniors at area high schools in both Crawford County and in Marshall, Illinois, where Jones was part of the Handy Writers Colony. The essays are responses to James Jones’s short story “The Valentine,” which was first published in the Saturday Evening Post in 1963… Continue reading 2021 The Valentine essay winners selected