Olympia author nabs O. Henry Award, and you can hear him read from his short story

Keith Eisner of Olympia has won an O. Henry Award, widely regarded as the most prestigious award for short fiction. His story “Blue Dot” is one of 20 that has been published in “The O. Henry Prize Stories 2017.”

He’ll read from “Blue Dot” — which involves a couple tripping on hallucinogens and is, he said, about faith, love and storytelling — Saturday evening at Browsers Bookshop.

Eisner, who retired in 2013 from his job as a public information officer for Thurston County, is well known as an actor. He was last on stage in February in Olympia Family Theater’s “Starry Night.”

But writing — and teaching about writing, which he does at the Olympia Senior Center — is the work he loves best, though he has been, he said, “infrequently published.”

“I have a great list of rejection slips,” he said.

Even “Blue Dot” was rejected by several literary magazines, including Salamander, which later went on to print it. Eisner had no idea it was being considered for the O. Henry Award, named for short story master O. Henry, who wrote “The Gift of the Magi.” Rather than being submitted by writers or editors, winners are selected from literary magazines in the United States and Canada.

“I got an email in late October,” he said. “It was mind blowing. A lot of times what happens with contests is they say you’re a finalist and then you pace the floor. This time, they just said, ‘You got in.’

“I couldn’t sleep,” he added. “I went and looked up past winners, and I wanted to cry. There were some of my favorite stories by Flannery O’Connor, Raymond Carver, Sherman Alexie, Alice Munro …”

He still seems awed that “Blue Dot” is in such company, though he does believe it’s one of his best stories.

“As I was writing it, I had surprises,” he said. “I didn’t know a number of things that were going to happen. … What I like about good short stories is the suddenness with which a depth is realized. Connections are made that you don’t expect.”

“The story has layer upon layer,” Salamander editor Jennifer Barber said in an email interview. “As a reader, I felt sheer amazement at where it took me and gratitude for the ride.”

As excited as he is, Eisner said he also feels anxious about being included in a high-profile publication. “I know the weaknesses in the story,” he said.

“On the one side, there’s pride,” he said. “On the other side, all my mistakes are visible. There’s only one good cure for that: That’s to keep writing.”

This story was originally published September 21, 2017 at 7:47 AM with the headline "Olympia author nabs O. Henry Award, and you can hear him read from his short story."