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Thomas
Fox Averill is Writer-in-residence
and Professor of English at Washburn University of Topeka, where
he teaches courses in Creative Writing and in Kansas Literature, Folklore
and Film. His publications include two novels: Secrets of the Tsil Cafe, published by
BlueHen/ Penguin
Putnam, in 2001 and The Slow Air of Ewan MacPherson
(BlueHen/Berkley,
2003). A collection of short stories, Ordinary Genius,
was published by the University of Nebraksa Press in April 2005. He
is represented by agent Stephanie
von Hirschberg. He is the 2006 recipient of the Kansas Arts
Commission Fellowship in Fiction.
An O. Henry Award winner, his previous story collections are Passes
at the Moon ( Woodley
Press ) and Seeing Mona Naked (Watermark Press,1989).
He is the editor of What Kansas Means to Me: 
Twentieth Century Writers on the Sunflower State
(University Press of
Kansas ). In the Fall of 1996, Eagle Books (Wichita) brought
out his Oleander's Guide to Kansas: How You Know When You're Here.
Passes at the Moon is out of print. Seeing Mona
Naked and Oleander's Guide to Kansas are available only
from the author.
He is also the author of numerous articles, poems, and short stories (in New Letters, Cimarron Review, Chariton Review, North American Review and Doubletake, and others), and is a frequent speaker on Kansas Culture.
He helped to found and was the first director of the Washburn Center for Kansas Studies. He has edited several books for Woodley Press and the Center for Kansas Studies, most recently Speaking French in Kansas, by Robert Day, and The Loose Change of Wonder, poems by Steven Hind (designated a Kansas Notable Book for 2007 by the Kansas Center for the Book). His most recent Center project is a Map of Kansas Literature.
He is also a commentator in the voice of William Jennings Bryan Oleander
of Here, Kansas, for Kansas Public Radio, KANU, 91.5 FM, National
Public Radio from the University of Kansas. His Oleander play,
Abide With Me, won the first Great Plains Play Competition,
and was produced by the University of Kansas Theatre as the final
play of the 1996-97 Season. His commentaries are published bi-weekly
in the Topeka Metro News.
Averill's interests include bagpiping and gardening.
Select below to navigate to other pages:
This page will be constantly under construction. Each sub-page will change to keep information timely. Please re-visit at least once a month for updates on Oleander commentaries and author appearances. Thank you, Tom Averill
Question or comments should be addressed to:
Tom Averill
English Department
Washburn University
Topeka, Kansas 66621
785.670.1448 (office)
tom.averill@washburn.edu
