Le Guin’s work has been pivotal for me not only as a writer, but as a mother, a friend, a person. The undercurrent of hope in her books is so rare and so forceful. To have The Employees trans by Martin Aitken shortlisted for the first ever Ursula K. Le Guin Prize for Fiction moves me beyond words. I have lived in the world of her books to such a deegree that when I swim laps I often imagen I’m swimming down the river in her novel Always Coming Home. About the award: “The Prize will be given to a writer whose work reflects the concepts and ideas that were central to Ursula’s own work, including but not limited to: hope, equity, and freedom; non-violence and alternatives to conflict; and a holistic view of humanity’s place in the natural world." The photo in the first slide is by William Anthony. The next slides are from a interview with Ursula’s son Theo Downes-Le Guin. You can read more about the award online and about the other 8 shortlisted writers, who I also want to congratulate! ❤️