Barry Brennessel

Fiction Writer

Silver Spring, MD

Maryland US

Email:

bbrenness@gmail.com

Website:

www.barrybrennessel.com

Author's Bio

When Barry’s first collection of stories was read aloud by his second grade teacher, the author hid in the bathroom. As the years flew by, he wrote more, hid less (not really), and branched out to Super 8 films and cassette tape recorders. Barry’s audience—consisting solely of friends and family—were both amused and bemused.

Since those childhood days, Barry has earned degrees in English and French from the State University of New York College at Brockport, and a Master of Arts in Writing from the Johns Hopkins University.

Tinseltown is Barry’s first novel.

His second novel The Sulphur Cure is forthcoming from L&L Dreamspell. Reunion, a collection of linked stories, is forthcoming from MLR Press. His novella The Price of Silence recently debuted.

His work has appeared in SNReview, Perspectives, Time Pilot, Liquid Ohio, Nocturnal Lyric, Midnight Times, Gival Press’s ArLiJo, Polari Journal, and the Dreamspell Nightmares (I & II) and Dreamspell Revenge (I & II) anthologies from L&L Dreamspell. His stories, novels and teleplays have won awards, including a 2008 Pushcart Prize nomination; 3rd Place in the 2010 Pacific Northwest Writers Association (PNWA) literary contest and finalist status in the 2006, 2008 and 2009 PNWA contests; 3rd Place in the 79th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and finalist status in the Winter 2010 WILDSound Screenplay competition.

When not embroiled in his own writing, Barry sips wine, nibbles on chocolate, and watches films and TV—both the classic and the cheesy. (Mmm…cheese!)

Publications & Prizes

Anthology:

Reunion (Lethe Press, 2011)

Books:

The Sulphur Cure (L&L Dreamspell, 2012)

The Price of Silence (L&L Dreamspell, 2011)

Tinseltown (MLR Press, 2011)

Journals:

ArLiJo

Dreamspell Nightmares

Dreamspell Revenge

Midnight Times

Polari Journal

SNReview

Prizes won:

Tinseltown (novel)
3rd Place Winner, Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest 2010)

The Sulphur Cure (novel)
Finalist, Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest 2006, 2008 & 2009;
Honorable Mention, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition)

The Price of Silence (novella)
Finalist, Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest 2009

The Darkest Recesses (short story collection)
(Honorable Mention, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition;
Semi-Finalist, WriteMovies.com International Competition #14)
A Rather Salty Little Farce, a La Carte (short story)
Honorable Mention, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition

A Special Kind of Folk
Honorable Mention, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition)

Pot Roast (short story)
Honorable Mention, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition

The Gift: Home Is Where the Hearts Are (teleplay)
Finalist, Pacific Northwest Writers Association Literary Contest, 2006 & 2008

The Simpsons: She Derided Me With Science (teleplay)
3rd Place Winner, 79th Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition;
Semi-Finalist, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition

The Simpsons: What a Revoltin’ Development (Teleplay)
Honorable Mention, 74th Annual Writers’ Digest Competition;
Semi-Finalist, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition;
Semi-Finalist, WriteMovies.com International Competition #14

The Simpsons: A Spoonful of Medicine Helps the Medicine Go Down
(teleplay)
Semi-Finalist, WriteSafe Art & Writing Competition

The Mary Tyler Moore Show: Branching Out (Teleplay)
Finalist, WILDsound Winter 2011 Screenplay Contest

More Information

Gives readings:

Yes

Travels for readings:

Yes

Identifies as:

White

Born in:

Dansville

Raised in:

Dansville, NY

New York

Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.

Last update: Mar 22, 2012