James Robert Herndon Wins Omnidawn’s Fabulist Fiction Chapbook Prize

James Robert Herndon’s “Mammals” (fiction, ’11) has been selected for Omnidawn’s Fabulist Fiction Chapbook Prize. Jeff VanderMeer, who selected Herndon for the prize, writes:

“A unique tale of love, commitment and redemption. In “Mammals,” an orphaned teenager sent to juvenile detention because of a violent crime becomes part of an odd experiment to see if he can learn about compassion and also teach it to another living creature.  The story displays sensitivity without sentimentality and a sense of the strange that is grounded in very real emotions.  A thoughtful and unusual gem.”