Nominated for THE ORANGE PRIZE 2003 & HURSTON/WRIGHT LEGACY AWARD 2003
"On Water Street, every person has at least two stories to tell. One story that the light of day shines on and the other that lives only in the pitch black of night, the kind of story that a person carries beneath their breastbones for safekeeping." Water Street examines the secret lives of neighbors and friends who live on Water Street in a small town in Kentucky. Assured and intimate, Wilkinson weaves us in and out of the lives of Water Street's inhabitants,
dealing with love, loss, truth and tragedy, as the narration switches from person to person and their remarkable, varied and authentic voices are revealed under Wilkinson's sure hand. This is a superb, cohesive work which marks Ms. Wilkinson's evolution as a gifted observer and writer.
About the Author
 Crystal Wilkinson is the author of two prize-winning works of fiction. She grew up in rural Kentucky and is a recipient of the Chaffin Award for Appalachian Literature. Water Street was a finalist for the Orange Prize and the Zora Neal Hurston/Richard Wright Legacy Award in Fiction. Her first collection, Blackberries, Blackberries was published by the Toby Press in 2000 to enthusiastic reviews in the regional and national press. She is currently a faculty member of Spalding University's MFA in Writing Program in Louisville, Kentucky.
Author Website
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The Critics Praise:
“Through the diversity of her characters and the richness of
her language, Wilkinson has taught me a lot. Her made-up characters have made me more aware of my soul.”
KENTUCKY CONNECT
“Wilkinson is a storyteller in the tradition of Southerners such as Eudora Welty and Carson McCullers...Wilkinson has taught me a lot. Her made-up characters have made me more aware of my soul.”
LEXINGTON HERALD-LEADER
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