New Orleans Attorney
Named Winner of
Faux Faulkner Contest

1996 Faux Faulkner judges John Berendt, Tom Wicker, George Plimpton, and Arthur Schlesinger Jr. with Lynn Tolley, great-grandniece of Jack Daniel, and Dean Faulkner Wells, contest coordinator

Writing a 500-word sentence is almost enough reason to reward the writer with the title of winner of the Jack Daniel's Faux Faulkner parody contest. But Lance Martin, an attorney in New Orleans, secured the victory by titling his work "Absaloon, Absaloon!" in honor of William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom!

The annual writing contest honors its namesake with the sincerest form of flattery -- imitation. It encourages budding Faulknerians to have fun with the master's style and in the process come to know him better.

Gathered to discuss the fine points of faux on April 1, at New York's Elaine's, were noted authors and Faux Faulkner judges John Berendt, George Plimpton, Arthur Schlesinger Jr., and Tom Wicker. Hosting the evening's event were Dean Faulkner Wells, niece of William Faulkner, and Lynne Tolley, great-grandniece of Jack Daniel, the well-known distiller of Lynchburg, Tennessee. This marked the first meeting of the two nieces and the first year the Faux Faulkner contest was sponsored by the Jack Daniel Distillery.

"We're honored to take part in this contest," said Tolley. "In several ways Mr. Faulkner and Uncle Jack are kindred spirits--both are sons of the South, both have brought international fame to their small home towns, and both have been misunderstood. From time to time the works of Faulkner have been banned and Jack Daniel's is still made in a dry county."

This year's contest attracted more than 400 entries from around the world. The three finalists focused on the return of riverboat gambling to Mississippi, the appearance of Elvis in Faulkner's hometown of Oxford, and a comic answer to the Nobel Prize-winning author's critics.

Although the winner of this year's event has just been announced, the contest's founder is already encouraging next year's entrants to put pen to paper. More than 30 entries have been received for next year's contest already. "Writing like William Faulkner isn't easy," said Dean Faulkner Wells. "So we wanted to give friend and faux plenty of time to work on their entries."

For information, call Yoknapatawpha Press at 601-234-0909.