A|U author Crystal Wilkinson’s novel, The Birds of Opulence, has been named the winner of the 2016 Appalachian Writers Association’s Appalachian Book of the Year for Fiction. The multigenerational novel follows four generations of women in a bucolic southern black township as they live with and sometimes surrender to madness. This marks the fourth award The Birds of Opulence has won, including the Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, the Weatherford Award for Fiction, and the Judy Gaines Young Book Award.

In addition to garnering awards and serving as the inspiration for public art, The Birds of Opulence was also named the debut selection of the Open Canon Book Club. The club was created by New York Times bestselling (and fellow A|U) author Wiley Cash to introduce readers to voices and portrayals of the American experience they may not have otherwise encountered in their day-to-day lives, their education, or their book club meetings. Each month, Cash will post discussion questions and host live book club discussions online and in independent bookstores.

Congrats, Crystal!