Raising awareness of Tennessees authors - past & present - and the states rich literary heritage.

The Tennessee Literary Project is an ongoing effort to research and compose biographies of authors with Tennessee connections, and to conduct interviews with those writers whenever possible. Submissions to the TLP are written by students enrolled in English 4670: Special Topics in Writing, at Middle Tennessee State University, a course offered to English department-approved major and minor degree programs.

The five members of the inaugural class (please visit the “Biographers” link on this website to meet these students) finished their work in the May of 2009—completing twenty-nine biographies and two interviews. The class is offered each Spring semester, and in recent years has expanded to include photo essays and book reviews. TLP is partnered with Humanities Tennessee; the student-generated biographies are being used by that agency as part of a new initiative to bring attention to the state’s authors. Please visit www.humanitiestennessee.org to learn more.

Authors chosen for the TLP must have published at least one book of fiction, poetry, or criticism, or have a produced play, and satisfy one of the following criteria: native Tennessean; either currently reside and write in the state, or have done so in the past; published work while living in Tennessee.

 

Glass & Manuscript banner photo by Dylan Thomas Mackin, taken at poet George Scarbrough's home, Oak Ridge