In addition to two collections of short fiction, O’Connor’s work has appeared in The Best American Short Stories, as well as in a broad variety of literary journals, magazines, and newspapers, including The New Yorker and the New York Times. His nonfiction books have explored issues relating to teaching children in inner city schools, and the history of the “orphan trains” of the 19^th and early 20^th centuries that transported parentless children from New York City to families in the Midwest. O’Connor currently teaches in the Sarah Lawrence MFA writing program.

Elizabeth Cox, this year’s book prize judge, says she was “knocked out by this book,” in which the author’s inventiveness serves to augment “the sense of moral weight carried throughout this story.” Cox is the prize-winning author of poetry, short story collections, and five novels, the latest of which, A Question of Mercy, was published in 2016.

The prize, established as a collaboration between the iconic Southern restaurant, Crook’s Corner Bar & Café and the Crook’s Corner Book Prize Foundation, was inspired by the prestigious book awards long given by famous “literary” cafés in Paris. “Our purpose is to encourage emerging writers in today’s challenging publishing environment,” says Anna Hayes, president of the foundation. “As far as we know, this is the only café or restaurant-sponsored literary prize in the U.S., but we are hoping to start a trend.” The prize is open to self-published as well as traditionally published authors. Winners receive a $5000 cash prize and, in the tradition of the Café de Flore in Paris, a complimentary glass of wine at Crook’s each day of his/her prize year.