UW-Stevens Point’s Cornerstone Press earns 45 literary honors
By Patrick Lynn
STEVENS POINT — A student-staffed publishing house at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point earned 45 literary honors during the 2025-26 academic year, more than doubling its total from the previous year.
Cornerstone Press saw 22 of its titles recognized by 20 regional and national contests and organizations. The honors included winners, finalists, shortlists, longlists and notable selections.
“Our books are making an impact in the wider literary landscape,” Cornerstone Press Director and Publisher Ross Tangedal said. “This is a testament to the excellent writers on our list, as well as the dedicated staff and students who work for the press to bring out quality books that matter and make a difference. We are thrilled to receive industry recognition for our efforts.”
Cornerstone Press is a university trade press staffed by undergraduate students. It publishes short fiction, poetry and creative nonfiction, along with winners of prizes for first novels and first poetry collections.
The press is the only one of its kind in the University of Wisconsin System and one of five undergraduate student-staffed publishing houses in the country.
Among the most recognized titles was “The Continental Divide” by Bob Johnson, which was named one of Literary Hub’s 100 Notable Small Press Books of 2025. It also made the longlist for the PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize, won an American Fiction Award and received recognition from the Indiana Author Awards, Society of Midland Authors Awards, Storytrade Book Awards and National Indie Excellence Awards.
“Close to a Flame” by Colleen Alles was also named one of Literary Hub’s notable small press books and was runner-up in the Midwest Book Awards. It was a finalist for the American Fiction Awards and Society of Midland Authors Awards.
“The Plan of Chicago” by Barry Pearce received finalist honors from the Foreword INDIES Book Awards, William Saroyan International Prize, American Fiction Awards, Storytrade Book Awards and National Indie Excellence Awards.
Jamey Gallagher’s “American Animism” was named to Literary Hub’s notable small press list, won an Eric Hoffer Book Award and was a finalist in two other national competitions.
Other winning titles included “The Hopefuls” by Elizabeth Oness, which won a National Indie Excellence Award; “Signs of the Imminent Apocalypse” by Heidi Bell, a Chicago Writers Association Book Awards winner; and “An Ignorance of Trees” by Jim Daniels, which earned Michigan Notable Books and Michigan Author Award honors.
“Dining on Salt” by Wayne Lee was named North American Poetry Book of the Year, while “Trust Issues” by K.P. Davis won an International Impact Award. Heidi Seaborn’s “tic tic tic” received a silver medal from the Nautilus Book Awards.
Other Cornerstone Press titles received finalist or honorable mention recognition from the Wisconsin Writers Awards, Foreword INDIES Book Awards, American BookFest Awards, Eric Hoffer Awards, Storytrade Book Awards, Colorado Book Awards and other literary competitions.
Cornerstone Press gives UW-Stevens Point undergraduate students hands-on experience in the publishing industry while producing books for the commercial literary market.