2014 Inductees to the NYS Writers Hall of Fame Announced

GUILDERLAND, NY (02/07/2014)(readMedia)-- The Empire State Center for the Book is proud to announce the 2014 Class of Inductees into the NYS Writers Hall of Fame. Noted writers Russell Banks, Mary Higgins Clark, Alice Hoffman, and Maurice Kenny are among the seven members of the 2014 Class, and they will be in attendance at the induction on Tuesday, June 3, 2014, at the Princeton Club of New York. Rocco Staino, who serves as the Director of the Empire State Center for the Book, made the announcement on February 6, 2014, at the New York Library Association headquarters in Guilderland, NY. The Center for the Book is the organization that oversees the Hall of Fame. In addition, three deceased writers, Nora Ephron, Rex Stout, and James Thurber will be inducted.

"This year's list of inductees recognizes a wide variety of writing talents from poetry to suspense," said Staino. "I hope that the public will take the time to revisit the works of all our inductees and join us at the induction."

The full list of the 2014 inductees is as follows:

Russell Banks (1940) novelist, short story writer, and poet

Mary Higgins Clark (1929) author of 42 suspense novels

Nora Ephron (1941 -2012) journalist, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, novelist, producer, director, and blogger

Alice Hoffman (1952) author of over 30 books (for adults, children, and young adults) and short story writer

Maurice Kenny (1929) poet, editor, professor, and publisher

Rex Stout (1886 – 1975) author of detective novels-best known for creating the larger-than-life fictional detective Nero Wolfe

James Thurber (1894 – 1961) a celebrated author, journalist, and cartoonist

This year's nominees into the NYS Writers Hall of Fame were chosen by a selection committee comprised of Harold Augenbraum, Executive Director of the National Book Foundation; Jeffrey Cannell, Deputy Commissioner for Cultural Education of the New York State Education Department; Barbara Genco, retired librarian from Brooklyn Public Library and Editor of Collection Management at Media Source; Brian Kenney, Director of the White Plains Public Library; Brian McCarthy, Associate Publisher of the Library of America; Kathleen Masterson, Director of the Literature Program at the New York State Council on the Arts; Christine McDonald, retired director of the Crandall Library, Glens Falls; Bertha Rogers, Executive Director of Bright Hill Press & Creator of the New York State Literary website and map; Charlene Rue, Brooklyn & New York Public Libraries Book Ops; Rocco Staino, Director of the Empire State Center for the Book; and Hong Yao, Associate Coordinator of Collection Development at Queens Library.

Plans are underway to house the NYS Writers Hall of Fame at the New York State Library in Albany. The Empire State Center for the Book is part of the Library of Congress Center for the Book and is currently housed at the New York Library Association.

For additional information on the Empire State Center for the Book and the Writers Hall of fame, please contact Rocco Staino at the New York Library Association 1-800-252-NYLA or rocco.staino@gmail.com.