San Antonio Celebrates Poetry with Octavio Quintanilla’s National Book Awards Longlist Recognition
San Antonio is buzzing with excitement as local poet Octavio Quintanilla‘s latest collection, The Book of Wounded Sparrows, has made it onto the prestigious National Book Awards Longlist for Poetry! This early recognition is a delightful surprise for Quintanilla and showcases the thriving literary culture in our city.
Quintanilla, who previously served as San Antonio’s poet laureate and is currently a respected professor at Our Lady of the Lake University, thought his collection wouldn’t be considered for the awards until next year. But thanks to the sharp-eyed folks at Texas Review Press, who submitted a digital copy, the book has landed a spot among the top ten poetry collections of the year.
The Journey of the Book
In his own words, Quintanilla described the experience as a bit “weird,” and “surreal.” After dedicating about a decade to writing and perfecting this new collection, it’s understandably a thrill to see it recognized at such a high level. “For them to say, ‘You know what? This book from this press is good enough to be in the top 10,’ what else can you ask for?” he said.
Alongside Quintanilla’s work, the other poets nominated this year include renowned names like Anne Carson for Wrong Norma and Dorianne Laux for Life on Earth. The anticipation builds as the finalists are set to be announced on October 1, with the gala where the winners will be celebrated scheduled for November 20 in New York City.
A Local Legacy
Quintanilla’s recognition puts him amongst a select group of San Antonio writers who have previously been named finalists for these esteemed awards. Notable figures like John Phillip Santos and Naomi Shihab Nye have also been in the running over the years. As Quintanilla reflects on this achievement, he sees it as an opportunity to shine a light on the literary scene in San Antonio, which often goes unnoticed.
“Sometimes, we go under the radar,” he remarked. “And I think hopefully, by being in this national platform, maybe our writers, our community, our poets might get a little more attention as we go forward.”
Upcoming Events and Future Work
To celebrate this amazing milestone, a book release party is set for October 3 at 6 p.m. in Room 311 of Our Lady of the Lake University’s Main Building. It’s an open invitation for anyone who loves poetry to come together and connect with one of San Antonio’s literary stars.
But that’s not all! Quintanilla is also excited about the upcoming publication of another book he worked on called Las Horas Impossibles | The Impossible Hours, which he co-translated with Natalia Treviño. It recently won the Ambroggio Prize from the Academy of American Poets, and is set to be released by the University of Arizona Press next year.
A Message to the Future
Quintanilla’s enthusiasm for storytelling through poetry not only reflects his dedication but also serves as an inspiration for his students. When sharing the news of his longlisting with them, one student joked, “Oh, so you’re really qualified for this job!” to which he responded with laughter, affirming that hard work does pay off.
“It’s wonderful to share that news with them, because some of them want to write, and soon they’ll be out in the world,” he added with a glint of warmth in his eyes. Quintanilla encourages aspiring writers to embrace their dreams and believes that with commitment, anything is possible.
As we celebrate Octavio Quintanilla and his remarkable achievement, let’s also take a moment to recognize the vibrant artistic community that thrives right here in San Antonio. With voices like Quintanilla leading the way, our city’s future in literature looks exceptionally bright!
