Rob Magnuson Smith
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Rob Magnuson Smith is a novelist, short story writer, journalist, and university lecturer. A dual citizen of the United States and the United Kingdom, Smith currently resides in
Cornwall Cornwall (; kw, Kernow ) is a historic county and ceremonial county in South West England. It is recognised as one of the Celtic nations, and is the homeland of the Cornish people. Cornwall is bordered to the north and west by the Atlantic ...
. He has a BA in philosophy and a BA in psychology from Pitzer College, an MA in creative writing from the
University of East Anglia The University of East Anglia (UEA) is a public research university in Norwich, England. Established in 1963 on a campus west of the city centre, the university has four faculties and 26 schools of study. The annual income of the institution f ...
, where he won the David Higham Award, and a PhD in creative writing from
Bath Spa University Bath Spa University is a public university in Bath, England, with its main campus at Newton Park, about west of the centre of the city. The university has other campuses in the city of Bath, and one at Corsham Court in Wiltshire. The insti ...
. Since September 2013, he has taught English and Creative Writing for the
University of Exeter , mottoeng = "We Follow the Light" , established = 1838 - St Luke's College1855 - Exeter School of Art1863 - Exeter School of Science 1955 - University of Exeter (received royal charter) , type = Public , ...
.


Works


Novels

His first novel, ''The Gravedigger,'' is the story of painfully shy gravedigger Henry Bale, who falls in love with the bright, energetic, new schoolteacher, whose sudden arrival awakens and upsets his quiet life and his quiet town. ''The Gravedigger'' won the gold medal in the William Faulkner – William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition. Contest judge Andre Bernard said of the book, "To my mind there was one clear standout. In terms of characterization, plot, unusual fictional universe-making and sheer ability to create The Gravedigger wins hands-down." His second novel, ''Scorper'', is a critically acclaimed, darkly comic tale of an emotionally unstable American who travels to
Ditchling Ditchling is a village and civil parish in the Lewes District of East Sussex, England. The village is contained within the boundaries of the South Downs National Park; the order confirming the establishment of the park was signed in Ditchling. ...
, Sussex, in an attempt to connect with his ancestral heritage, one that intertwines with the life and legacy of famed English artisan
Eric Gill Arthur Eric Rowton Gill, (22 February 1882 – 17 November 1940) was an English sculptor, letter cutter, typeface designer, and printmaker. Although the ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' describes Gill as ″the greatest artist-cra ...
, a version of whom appears in the novel. ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publish ...
'' called ''Scorper'' 'An odd, original, darkly comic novel... a funny, unsettling read; Kafka crossed with Flann O'Brien,' and gave it four stars. ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' called ''Scorper'' a "funny, disturbing portrayal of a mind at odds with itself."


Short fiction

Smith has published numerous short stories in publications ranging from ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' to '' The Literarian''. Most notably, in 2015, he became the first international author to win the Australian Book Review’s Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Prize, for "The Elector of Nossnearly." The story was also longlisted for the
Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award The Sunday Times Short Story Award is a British literary award for a single short story open to any novelist or short story writer from around the world who is published in the UK or Ireland. The winner receives £30,000, and the five shortliste ...
, possibly the most lucrative short story prize in the world.


Creative non-fiction

Smith's non-fiction has appeared in ''
Granta ''Granta'' is a literary magazine and publisher in the United Kingdom whose mission centres on its "belief in the power and urgency of the story, both in fiction and non-fiction, and the story’s supreme ability to describe, illuminate and ma ...
'' and ''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' among others, and he is a regular contributing editor for ''
Playboy ''Playboy'' is an American men's Lifestyle magazine, lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from H ...
'', with whom he has published investigative articles on Soviet-era primate hybridization experiments, the scientific search for alien life, and the
San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...
book repository associated with the
Internet Archive The Internet Archive is an American digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It provides free public access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, software applications/games, music, ...
.


Bibliography


Novels

* ''The Gravedigger''. New Orleans: UNO Press, 2010. * ''Scorper''. London: Granta, 2015.


Short fiction

Smith's short fiction is not limited to but includes the following:
"The Elector of Nossnearly"
(''
The Sunday Times ''The Sunday Times'' is a British newspaper whose circulation makes it the largest in Britain's quality press market category. It was founded in 1821 as ''The New Observer''. It is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News UK, w ...
'', 2015) "Kettleman Point" (''The Clearing'', 2015) "The Headhunter's Trumpet" ('' Poor Yorick'', 2014) "Inkberrow" ('' The Literarian'', 2013) "Second Skull" (''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'')


Creative non-fiction

Smith's creative non-fiction is not limited to but includes the following: "The Best Book of 1901: The Octopus" (''
Granta ''Granta'' is a literary magazine and publisher in the United Kingdom whose mission centres on its "belief in the power and urgency of the story, both in fiction and non-fiction, and the story’s supreme ability to describe, illuminate and ma ...
'', 2015) "An English Village Needs its Pub" (''
The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', 2015) "Brewster's Ark" (''
Playboy Magazine ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'', 2013) "Beyond the Sky" (''
Playboy Magazine ''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. K ...
'', 2012) "Beckett Catches Buster" ('' Projector Magazine'')


Awards and nominations

Smith's awards and nominations are not limited to but include the following: 2015 First Prize, ''Australian Book Review'' Elizabeth Jolley Short Story Award 2015 Longlist, ''The Sunday Times'' EFG Short Story Prize 2010-13 International Doctoral Research Fellow, Bath Spa University 2009-10 David Higham Award in Creative Writing, University of East Anglia 2004 Pirate's Alley William Faulkner Gold Medal, Best Novel, ''The Gravedigger''


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Rob Magnuson Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Pitzer College alumni Alumni of the University of East Anglia Academics of the University of Exeter British writers