Derek Palacio
Photo by Jennine Palacio
Bio
Derek Palacio is the author of the novel The Mortifications and the novella How to Shake the Other Man. He lives in North Carolina with his family.
In the fall of 2022, I realized it was necessary to begin again (to start almost from scratch) the novel project I’d been working on since 2016. I drafted a new opening chapter, which I eventually submitted as the writing sample for my National Endowment for the Arts application in 2023. I’m incredibly grateful, then, for the transformative encouragement that comes with a fellowship from the NEA. To be a recipient is to feel recognized, included, and empowered, and I hope that the writing that follows honors the privilege of this award.