Award-winning author will read his work on Southeast's campus

Sam Ruddick is published as a short fiction writer, but the award-winning author has finished his first fiction novel.

He is currently working on a non-fiction novel about a personal family tragedy and said he next plans to conquer screenplays and make lots of money.

Ruddick will read his short story entitled "Leak" on Nov. 13 at Southeast Missouri State University. "Leak," which won the PEN/O. Henry Prize for being one of the best short stories published this year, is published in an anthology that includes 20 of the best short stories of the year entitled "The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories 2012."

English department faculty member and coordinator of the series Dr. Lynn Watson said the invitation to speak at Southeast was extended to Ruddick as the start of an emerging writers series.

Watson said the department wanted to begin a series for new and emerging writers.

This particular writers series is more centered around those who have done a fair amount of writing, are newly published and have the potential for being successful in the tough world of literature.

"The more publicity we can get the newer writers, the better," Watson said. "I feel like those people don't really get the attention."

Ruddick teaches first-year writing at the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

He has had a successful career as a short story writer, which is unusual, Watson said.

Ruddick's work has been published in top-notch literary magazines, such as The Threepenny Review and Glimmer Train. After he won the PEN/O. Henry prize, Watson felt it was a good time to invite him to Southeast.

"This is the time to grab him, before he's emerged," Watson said.

"Leak" is a short story about complicated relationships, involving adultery and an ex-girlfriend arriving unexpectedly to make pasta.

Ruddick said the inspiration for his writing comes from whatever he is thinking about at the time, which includes anything from drinking to relationships.

"I really have no idea what I'm doing," Ruddick said. "I think that is the short answer."

Ruddick said recently he has been steering away from darker aspects of his work.

"I've been branching out [and] putting more humor in my writing," Ruddick said. "It used to be really dark. Now I'm more interested in making people laugh than disturbing them."

In his opinion, Ruddick said "Leak" is "utterly without darkness," and readers may find humor in the characters' situation.

After adding 30 pages to the original short story, "Leak" became the first chapter of Ruddick's latest fiction novel.

"'Leak'" is such an interesting story," Watson said. "It's a fun and sad story. It's about relationships, and it's something I think anybody and everybody can relate to, and it's so well written."

Ruddick wrote more short stories in the past, but recently has been focusing on writing longer pieces of literature.

In his writing, Ruddick is able to convey a complete story with precise words and language, Watson said.

"I would describe his writing as economic and evocative," Watson said. "He uses language in such a way that we don't have to be told everything. He hints at a larger story while still managing to bring the emotional depth to the story."

He is now working on a nonfiction novel and corresponding with a man that is in jail for raping and murdering Ruddick's great-grandmother when she was 75 years old.

The man has been in prison for almost as long as Ruddick has been alive. She was murdered when he was 4 years old, and with the exception of immediate family, anyone who knew about the incident is dead, Ruddick said. He is considering visiting the man in prison at some point.

Ruddick's reading will be at 7:45 p.m. Nov. 13 in Johnson Hall room 200.