Last year one of Skyline’s own, Professor Feinblum, had her novel published by the University of Arizona Press.

This year PEN Oakland, a Bay Area Chapter of the International Organization of Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, and Novelists, has awarded her with the PEN Oakland Josephine Miles Literary Award for her work on Samba Dreamers.

The award is given to authors that can address the diversity and uniqueness of American culture and represent the new voices of American Literature. Part of the Camino del Sol series of Latino/a fiction and poetry, Samba Dreamers expresses all of those traits.

The organization was founded in 1989 to address multicultural issues, and to educate the public on the nature of multicultural work. Josephine Miles, whom the award was named after, was not only a teacher at Berkley but also a critic and a highly regarded poet.

In reference to the award she received, Professor Feinblum said, “What’s really nice about it is that it’s multicultural and not commercial.”

For those who don’t know, Samba Dreamers is about Brazilian immigration into the United States. The story bounces between Brazil and L.A. and follows the life of an immigrant man who falls in love with a really wild woman.

“If you like relationship drama, there’s definitely drama,” says Feinblum.

The actual awards ceremony will be held on December 8 from 2-5 p.m. at the Rockridge Branch Library, located at 5366 College Avenue in Oakland.

This will be the 17th Annual PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles National Literary Awards and is open to the public, so come and show your support.

For more information concerning this event call (510) 228-6775.