Butcher was given the award in the “Inspirational” category when the 46th annual Georgia Author of the Year Award Ceremony took place on Saturday at Kennesaw State University.
Butcher’s award was in the creative nonfiction — inspirational category for her book “The Cloud of Unknowing with the Book of Privy Counsel.”
The award is sponsored by the Georgia Writers Association. It is the oldest literary award in the Southeast.
“I was very happy to see ‘The Cloud of Unknowing’ receive the Georgia Author of the Year Award,” Butcher said. “ ‘The Cloud’ in its original medieval manuscript is a series of wonderful letters from a wise Christian teacher to his student. This dynamic, personality-plus teacher (who chose to remain anonymous) wants his student to become more intimate with Jesus through prayer. In every letter, Anonymous guides his student, and also us today, into a closer, kinder, gentler, wiser walk with Christ. I wanted my twenty-first-century translation to be as friendly, intimate, fun and beautiful as the original. The Georgia Author of the Year Award validates the relevance that this 600-plus-year-young Christian classic has for our iPhone 4G, Droid Incredible, Facebooking, rushing, MySpacing, peace-hungry world.”
Butcher added that the award is also meaningful because a dozen friends and family came to the ceremony.
“Celebrating with them there meant more than I can say,” she said. “I am so thankful that we share life’s journey. These friends make it worthwhile to have spent countless nights up writing, listening to the lone sound of the train whistle.”
Butcher is professor of English and Scholar-in-Residence at Shorter University. She also serves as a commentator for National Public Radio and Georgia Public Broadcasting.
Other Rome residents who have received a Georgia Author of the Year Award include Sandra Meek and Ray Atkins.
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