Miranda July is a talented 'artist' no doubt, especially in her film and performance efforts but gee, how did she win the $35,000 Frank O'Connor award for short story writing Nobody Belongs Here More than You" her first time out..?? The Vancouver Voice drives home the old cliche "It's Who You Know"

One could be forgiven for thinking that Ms. July is a cunning self-marketer. But, then, it’s part of the family business. Her parents, Lindy Hough and Richard Grosinger, ran North Atlantic Book, a New Age publishing company. Now, as reported in the Guardian, Ms. July is the happy recipient of the 2007 Frank O’Connor award for achievement in short story writing. The prize comes with a cash award of $35, 000 dollars. Pat Cotter, the jury chairman, is described as having “defended” the shortlist (which also included Israeli writer Etgar Keret and New Zealand scribe Charlotte Grimshaw, reduced from a list that also originally included Alice Munro and David Malouf ) as a demonstration of the judges’ independence. The judges included American novelist Rick Moody, who happens to be her mentor and a family friend.

I am reminded of William Burrough's old adage "Wouldn't You?"