Alan Heathcock's "Volt" takes third place in the B&N Discover Great New Writers awards

The Idaho Statesman is pleased to offer this opportunity to share information and observations about what's in the news. Some comments may be reprinted elsewhere in the site or in the newspaper. We encourage lively, open debate but ask that you remain on topic. Comments that are profane, personal attacks or otherwise inappropriate are subject to removal. To register a complaint about another user's conduct, please send an e-mail to onlinenews@idahostatesman.com.

Boise’s Alan Heathcock received third place for fiction in Barnes and Noble’s “Discover Great New Writers” awards for his taunt short story collection “Volt” (Graywolf Press, $15). Heathcock received the award and a check for $2,500 earlier today at a ceremony in New York City from judge Bo Caldwell.

“I’ve never read stories quite like these,” Caldwell said of Heathcock's collection of tales of life in a fictional town in the American west. “Page after page, I had no idea what was coming next.”

March 8 is Heathcock’s birthday but he feels like he got his big gift today, he said.

Since coming out in 2011, “Volt” had received glowing reviews in the New York Times and other publications, and Heathcock in January was named the Great Lakes Colleges Association’s winner of its 2012 GLCA New Writers Award for fiction.

One of the benefits of this award is the promotion at Barnes and Noble stores, and opportunities for public readings.

Scott O’Connor’s novel “Untouchable” ((Tyrus Press) took first place in Fiction and Alice LaPlante’s novel "Turn of Mind" ((Grove/Atlantic) took second.