Shruti Swamy
Photo by Abe Bingham
Bio
Shruti Swamy is the author of the story collection A House Is a Body and the novel The Archer, both from Algonquin Books. The winner of two O. Henry Awards, her stories have appeared in the Paris Review, McSweeny's, and elsewhere. She is a Kundiman Fiction Fellow, and lives in San Francisco.
Having recently published my first two books, I find myself in a strange moment in my career—actually, a terrifying one. I have finally been given the chance to speak, but will anyone listen? The yes I received from the National Endowment of the Arts is not just an affirmation of my past work, but of the work that is to come. With this award, I will be able to dedicate more time to my writing, itself a gift beyond measure. But this award, the incredible vote of confidence in my writing, is also lending me some courage as I move deeper into a new project, that bright yes in my ears as I leap forward into mystery.