Lori Ostlund is an acclaimed author known for her nuanced storytelling and literary fiction. Her debut work, "The Bigness of the World," a short story collection published in 2009, earned widespread recognition, including the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction, the California Book Award for First Fiction, and the Edmund White Debut Fiction Award. The collection was also shortlisted for the William Saroyan International Prize for Writing and named a Notable Book by The Short Story Prize. Several stories from the book were featured in prestigious anthologies such as "The Best American Short Stories" and "The PEN/O. Henry Prize Stories."
Ostlund's novel, "After the Parade," was published in 2015, further establishing her reputation as a skilled chronicler of human relationships and emotional complexity. Her writing often explores themes of identity, belonging, and quiet introspection with a keen eye for detail. A recipient of the Rona Jaffe Foundation Award in 2009, Ostlund continues to contribute to literary journals and anthologies. She resides in San Francisco, where she remains an active voice in contemporary fiction.