PITTSBURGH — The Drue Heinz Literature Prize was established in 1981 by its namesake — the actress and philanthropist who died in 2018 at the age of 103 — in order to recognize and support writers of "short fiction," namely short-story collections. The prize, while given by the University of Pittsburgh Press and established with Heinz family money, is of national importance: To win the Drue Heinz is to be thrust into the literary limelight, as the winning writer receives publication, money ($15,000) and recognition as a master of the craft of short fiction.
It's a big deal.
"I had to keep it a secret for a few months," said 2022 Drue Heinz Literature Prize winner Ramona Reeves. "Once they announced it, a year before the book was published, I told my boss at the time, and he asked me what I was going to do — and I said, well, I'm just going to keep working."
