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 The 2006 National Book Awards: Fiction Awarded to gifted writers from William Faulkner > See more National Book Award winners and finalists Richard Powers -- Winner
Having earned a bit of a reputation for being the reclusive genius type -- he didn't give interviews until he had published his third book, and didn't consent to having his photo on the jacket until his fifth -- novelist Richard Powers explained to The New York Times, "I wanted the books to speak for themselves." And his latest novel, The Echo Maker, is being heard loud and clear by readers.
 Mark Z. Danielewski
Mark Z. Danielewski has never been a writer to follow conventions, and his decidedly unconventional novel Only Revolutions -- a story of young lovers told in parallel free verse -- proved his instincts to be right-on when it became an instant cult hit. In our interview, Danielewski advises aspiring writers: "Write what you love. Love will hold you through the hard times and hold the world during the good times."
Ken Kalfus
Ken Kalfus, who Salon calls "a writer of chameleonic fluency," writes novels and stories that address modern living in America through his unique perspective of having spent extensive time abroad. His latest novel, A Disorder Particular to the Country, is a dark comedy that follows the unraveling of a marriage in the aftermath of 9/11. In our interview, we asked Kalfus to tell us about any special writing rituals he might have. "I perform a single ritual that I perform every time before I write," he reveals. "I crawl under my desk and disconnect my DSL."
Dana Spiotta
Michiko Kakutani called Dana Spiotta "wonderfully observant and wonderfully gifted... with an uncanny feel for the absurdities and sadness of contemporary life." (The New York Times). These gifts are evident in Eat the Document -- a bold novel about a fugitive radical from the 1970s who has lived in hiding for twenty-five years. When we aked Spiotta about her career path as a writer, she reflected, "[I'm] a late bloomer, for sure. It takes a long time to write a novel when you have to keep interrupting your work to earn money."
Jess Walter
Jess Walter won the prestigious Edgar Award for his novel Citizen Vince, and as an acclaimed investigative reporter, he presented a compelling true account of the Ruby Ridge events. His latest foray into fiction, The Zero, is a post-9/11 thriller that's got people talking. "The first seven years that I wrote fiction, I sent out stories and a novel and made a total of $25," he told us. "But that check for twenty-five bucks (from Story magazine) is still the most exciting piece of mail I've ever received."
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