Ona Gritz

Poet

US

Author's Bio

Ona Gritz’s poems have appeared in Ploughshares, Bellevue Literary Review, Catamaran Literary Reader, One Art, Beauty Is a Verb: The New Poetry of Disability, and many other journals and anthologies. Her books include Geode, a finalist for the Main Street Rag Poetry Book Award and Present Imperfect, a collection of lyrical essays. Recent honors include two Notable mentions in The Best American Essays, a Best Life Story in Salon, a winning entry in The Poetry Archive Now: Wordview 2020 project, two 2021 pushcart nominations, and a 2022 Best of the Net nomination. Ona’s new middle grade novel, August Or Forever, is out now from Fitzroy Books.

Publications & Prizes

Books:
More Challenges to the Delusional (editor with Daniel Simpson and Peter Murphy) (Diode Editions, 2018)
,
Border Songs (with Daniel Simpson) (Finishing Line Press, 2017)
,
Geode (Main Street Rag , 2014)
,
Left Standing (Finishing Line Press, 2005)
Prizes won: 

Best American Essays Notable Author, 2020.

Winner, Poetry Archive Now Worldview 2020 competition.

Best Life Story of the Year in Salon, 2019.

Finalist, Paper Nautilus’s Vella Chapbook Prize, 2019.

Best American Essays Notable Author, 2016.

Finalist, The Main Street Rag Poetry Book Award, 2013.

Winner, Her Mark Calendar Poetry Competition, 2010.

2nd Place, Lilith Magazine's Charlotte Newberger Poetry Competition, 2009.

2nd Place, The Bellingham Review's Annie Dillard Prize for Creative Nonfiction, 2008.

Winner, Inglis House Poetry Contest, 2007.

Winner, Late Blooms Poetry Postcard Competition, 2007.

Nick Jr. Family Magazine’s Best Alphabet Book of the Year, 2005.

A Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine Best Book of the Year and Teacher’s Pick, 2005.

Winner, Tattoo Highway, Picture Worth 500 Words Contest, Summer 2005.

Finalist, The Concrete Wolf Poetry Chapbook contest, 2005.

Finalist, The Ekphrasis Prize, 2004.

Two Pushcart Nominations in Prose.

Ten Pushcart Nominations in Poetry.

2022 Best of the Net Nomination in Poetry

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
Disabled
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Far Rockaway, NY
New York
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Feb 17, 2023