On Thursday, April 18, Jason Mott, author of Hell of a Book , The Returned, The Wonder of All Things, and The Crossing, shared stories and read sections of his work as part of the Hughlene Frank Visiting Author series, sponsored by the Department of English, The Schaefer Center Presents and the Appalachian Journal. Following the reading, Mott was the guest of honor at a reception hosted by the University Libraries with members of our Library Advisory Board, the Library Services Committee, Student Library Advisory Council and Friends of the Libraries.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Jason Mott lives in southeastern North Carolina. He has a BFA in Fiction and an MFA in Poetry, both from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. His poetry and fiction have appeared in various literary journals. He was nominated for a 2009 Pushcart Prize award and Entertainment Weekly listed him as one of their 10 “New Hollywood: Next Wave” people to watch. He is the author of two poetry collections: We Call This Thing Between Us Love and “…hide behind me…” He is the author of three novels: The Returned, The Wonder of All Things, and The Crossing. The Returned, Mott’s debut novel, was adapted by Brad Pitt’s production company, Plan B, in association with Brillstein Entertainment and ABC. It aired on the ABC network under the title Resurrection. Motts’ fourth novel, Hell of a Book, was released in the summer of 2021 and received the 2021 National Book Award. It’s a story that goes to the heart of racism, police violence, and the hidden costs exacted upon Black Americans, and America as a whole.
Jason Mott discussing books with Dean Sue Polanka
Hughlene Frank Visiting Author Series