Novel published by SEMO press garnering awards

A novel published last April by the Southeast Missouri State University Press is achieving nationwide acclaim, garnering awards and glowing reviews.

"Seven Laurels," by Alabama author Linda Busby Parker, has already won the James Jones First Novel Award, the Langum Prize in Historical Fiction and been selected by Booklist magazine as a top choice for adults and young children.

Set in the South during the civil rights movement, the book follows the story of a black man named Brewster McAtee and his family's struggle during that time.

Parker is currently traveling the country giving lectures on the novel.

Press director Susan Swartwout said publishing such an acclaimed book is a great feeling for a press that only got its start in 2001.

"It's very exciting," said Swartwout. "When I read the manuscript I was very moved by the story. So for it to get another award is the icing on the cake. Certainly the book deserves many awards, it's a great story."

The book came to the press after an excerpt from it was published in Big Muddy, a literary journal of the Mississippi Valley published at the university. Swartwout liked the excerpt so much she wanted to see the whole manuscript and made a contract with the author to publish the book.

One mission of the university press is to publish first-time authors, said Swartwout, so she was pleased to reach the contract with Parker.

Even one of her most cynical proofreaders was moved by the story, Swartwout said.

"He came back with the book and told me he almost cried twice while he was reading it," she said.