PSU student-published book wins Oregon Book Award

A book published by Portland State’s student-run Ooligan Press won an Oregon Book Award this week — a big win for both the debut author and the 60 PSU students who helped bring the book to fruition.

“Where We Call Home: Lands, Seas, and Skies of the Pacific Northwest,” a collection of essays by Josephine Woolington about the natural and cultural histories of 10 plants and animals, won the Frances Fuller Victor Award for General Nonfiction. About 30 “Oolies” past and present were in the audience to celebrate.

Ooligan is a publishing house staffed by students pursuing master’s degrees in book publishing. Under the guidance and supervision of faculty, they participate in every step of the publishing process, from acquiring manuscripts and writing business plans to designing book covers, marketing and selling books — even submitting books for awards. Monday’s win was the third Oregon Book Award win for Ooligan. In 2017, its book, “A Series of Small Maneuvers,” won the Readers’ Choice Award, and in 2013, its book, "Blue Thread," won the Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Literature.

“This win shows that hardworking students, under the skillful leadership of Ooligan Press Publisher Robyn Crummer, make books that readers love and prize juries esteem,” said Kathi Inman Berens, associate professor of publishing and digital humanities. “Portland is an incredible book town and PSU’s book publishing master’s program — now in its 23rd year — feeds Portland’s book ecosystem.”

In early 2021, Ooligan was looking for nonfiction manuscripts for the following fall when they connected with Woolington. Her manuscript was only partially completed at the time, but it was a good fit for a press that focuses on publishing regionally significant works of literary, historical and social value to the Pacific Northwest.

Alum Jackie Krantz ‘23, who worked as a project manager, says the press saw the market potential immediately: Pacific Northwesterners love where they call home and Woolington’s writing was much more prose-like and engaging than some might expect science and nature books to be.

As a second-year student, Krantz took over as project manager as the book was wrapping up its copyediting stage. In her role, she helped guide the book to completion and a successful launch. She says Woolington and illustrator Ramon Shiloh were lovely to work with and responsive to new ideas.

“They worked hard to make the book succeed, and they worked with the press and trusted us as publishing professionals to do what was best for the book,” Krantz said. “Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for a better couple of people to work with during my first project management experience.”

Krantz says the excitement of the book being named a finalist didn’t sink in until Monday night. She joined fellow alumni and current students in the balcony and the group cheered loudly when the book was called as a finalist and even louder when it won. They waved to Woolington when she acknowledged Ooligan in her acceptance speech.

“As the press headed out after the event was over, we kept congratulating each other and saying, ‘We did it!’” she said. “Making a book is an artistic feat that requires many people working together for it to succeed, and as the host of the evening said, ‘It’s nice to be acknowledged.’ And so it was. I was so proud to be a part of it. It was a little bit emotional, honestly!”

Oolies celebrated Monday night, then got right back to work on Tuesday with a standing-room-only launch party for “Continuum: French Science Fiction Short Stories,” a collection curated and translated into English for the first time by Annabelle Dolidon, a French professor at PSU.

Another book with PSU connections was named an Oregon Book Award finalist. “My Name is LaMoosh,” written by alum Linda Meanus ‘16 in collaboration with fellow alum Lily Hart ‘18 and PSU Professor Katy Barber, was nominated for the Eloise Jarvis McGraw Award for Children’s Literature.