James Jones First Novel Fellowship
1 appearances
-
Edition 6 (1997) Winner
Leslie Schwartz
レスリー・シュワルツ
Leslie Schwartz
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Los Angeles, California, United States
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Creative writing teacher
- Active Years
- 1997-
- Affiliations
- UCLA Extension Writers' Program (instructor), Jewish Women's Theatre (instructor), University of Iowa (summer writing festival instructor), PEN Center USA (served as board president), Homeboy Industries (volunteer; founder of Homeboy Press)
- Memberships
- PEN Center USA
- Influenced By
- Ruth Ozeki
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Berkeley | College (Rhetoric and English) | Rhetoric and English | Bachelor of Arts | — | United States |
| Pacific University | Creative Writing (MFA) | Creative Writing (MFA) | Master of Fine Arts | — | United States |
University of California, Berkeley
College (Rhetoric and English)
/ Rhetoric and English
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Country:
United States
Graduation year not specified
Pacific University
Creative Writing (MFA)
/ Creative Writing (MFA)
Degree:
Master of Fine Arts
Year of Graduation:
2012
Country:
United States
Received MFA in 2012
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | James Jones Literary Society First Novel Fellowship | Jumping the Green (unpublished manuscript) | — | James Jones Literary Society | winner |
James Jones Literary Society First Novel Fellowship
1997
Work:
Jumping the Green (unpublished manuscript)
Organization:
James Jones Literary Society
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Jumping the Green
1999 Novel (mystery/psychological)Tells the story of a young San Francisco sculptor investigating her sister's unsolved murder while navigating a sadomasochistic relationship. Won the James Jones First Novel Fellowship as an unpublished manuscript and was later published.
lossviolencefamily mysterysex and power
Angels Crest
2004 Novel (ensemble drama) 320 pagesA novel about a toddler who wanders off in the snowy California mountains and the aftermath in a small town where nearly everyone has a connection to the tragedy, told from seven different points of view.
communitygriefsecretsguilt and atonement
Adaptations
- [Film] Angels Crest / Gaby Dellal (2011)
The Lost Chapters: Reclaiming My Life, One Book at a Time
2018 Memoir / Nonfiction 272 pagesA memoir juxtaposing her 2014 incarceration with the 22 books she received in jail, each arriving at a moment that aided her recovery. The book sympathetically depicts the women she was imprisoned with and critiques the dehumanizing incarceration system.
addiction and recoverycritique of the penal systemhealing through reading
Bibliography
- Jumping the Green (1999)
- Angels Crest (2004)
- The Lost Chapters: Reclaiming My Life, One Book at a Time (2018)
Adaptations
- Angels Crest (novel adapted into a 2011 film)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- multiple viewpoints / ensemble narrationpsychological contemporary proseinsight into social issues
- Recurring Motifs
- family secretsloss and griefaddiction and recoverydark side of small communities
Health
-
Alcoholism幼少期から長年（11歳頃から飲酒）、2000年に断酒後2012年に再発し2014年に収束Had major effects on her personal life and writing; the 2014 arrest and incarceration became a turning point for recovery and the basis for her memoir The Lost Chapters.
-
Substance misuse (co-occurring)2012年の再発期に集中Led to near-fatal overdoses and legal problems (arrests), necessitating a prolonged recovery process.
Legacy
Leslie Schwartz is recognized for candid portrayals of personal struggle and recovery. Her novels explore community and family darkness, and her memoir raises social issues through incarceration and the healing power of books. The film adaptation of Angels Crest broadened her audience.
Academic Societies
- PEN Center USA
In Popular Culture
- Angels Crest (2011 film adaptation)
Quotes
-
"a chronic state of blackout" — she described the relapse period as a chronic state of blackout.
Source: The Lost Chapters (memoir) / interviews (2018)
Trivia
- She has said she began drinking around age 11.
- Won the James Jones First Novel Fellowship in 1997 for an unpublished manuscript of Jumping the Green.
- Angels Crest was adapted into a film in 2011.
- Arrested in 2014 (including DUI) and served 37 days of a 90-day sentence; wrote about the experience in her 2018 memoir.
- Founded the Homeboy Press and served as editor-in-chief of the Homeboy Review after teaching at Homeboy Industries.