Thomas Gerald Franklin (born July 7, 1963) is an American writer originally from Dickinson,

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County , LargestMetro = Greater Birmingham , area_total_km2 = 135,765 ...

, United States,. Franklin earned a B.A. at the

University of South Alabama The University of South Alabama (USA) is a public research university in Mobile, Alabama. It was created by the Alabama Legislature in May, 1963, and replaced existing extension programs operated in Mobile by the University of Alabama. The first ...

, in Mobile, Alabama. He completed his M.F.A. at the

University of Arkansas The University of Arkansas (U of A, UArk, or UA) is a public land-grant research university in Fayetteville, Arkansas. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and the largest university in the state. Founded as Arkansas ...

, in 1998, where he met his wife, poet Beth Ann Fennelly. He is currently an associate professor at the

University of Mississippi The University of Mississippi ( byname Ole Miss) is a public research university that is located adjacent to Oxford, Mississippi, and has a medical center in Jackson. It is Mississippi's oldest public university and its largest by enrollment ...

Writing career

Franklin's first book is collection of ten short stories, ''Poachers'' (1999), the title story of which won the Edgar Award for Best Mystery Short Story. His

first novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to pu ...

, ''Hell at the Breech'' (2003), is a fictionalized version of a violent feud in 1892 called the Mitcham War, that took place in Clarke County, Alabama. His second novel, ''Smonk'' is about the trial of a rapist who terrorized a small town in Alabama." Franklin's most acclaimed novel, ''Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter'' (2010), which won the Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award, explores racial tensions and friendships. Franklin co-wrote the novel ''The Tilted World'' (2013) with his wife Fennelly, about the

Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 was the most destructive river flood in the history of the United States, with inundated in depths of up to over the course of several months in early 1927. The uninflated cost of the damage has been estimat ...

Bibliography

* ''Poachers'' (1999) Short Stories, HarperCollins Publishers, Winner of ''The Edgar Award''. * ''Hell at the Breech'' (2003) Novel, HarperCollins Publishers * ''Smonk'' (2006) Novel, HarperCollins Publishers * ''Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter'' (2010) Novel, HarperCollins Publishers, ''New York Times Bestseller,'' ''Los Angeles Times'' Book Prize, Willie Morris Award for Southern Fiction, RT Reviewers Choice Award for Best Contemporary Mystery, U.K. Crime Writers' Association Gold Dagger Award * ''The Tilted World'' (2013) Novel, with Beth Ann Fennelly HarperCollins

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Franklin, Tom 1963 births People from Clarke County, Alabama Novelists from Alabama American crime fiction writers Living people American male novelists