Michael Byers

MICHAEL BYERS is a former Stegner Fellow, holds an MFA from the University of Michigan (1996) and is the author of three books: The Coast of Good Intentions, a book of stories, and the novels Long for This World and Percival's Planet. The Coast of Good Intentions won the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, was a finalist for the PEN/Hemingway Award, garnered a Whiting Writer's Award, and was a New York Times Notable Book, among other citations. Long for This World was also a New York Times Notable Book, was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award, won the Virginia Commonwealth University First Novel Award, and won the annual prize for fiction from Friends of American Writers. His stories have appeared in Best American Short Stories and Prize Stories: The O. Henry Awards. A sample from Michael Byers work online: Two short stories: "Malaria" (from Bellevue Literary Review ) "Darver's Big Idea" (from fivechapters.com)   Read an interview with Michael Byers.   Read an essay about being published for the first time.   Read an essay about the purpose of narrative fiction.   Read an essay about the origins of the novel Long for This World.