Student semi-finalist in writing competition

Knox College student Matthew Andersson has been selected as a semi-finalist for the 2007 James Jones First Novel Fellowship.

Andersson submitted the first 50 pages of his novel, "Troy Goes Greek," to the nation-wide competition, administered by the Master's Program in Creative Writing at Wilkes University of Pennsylvania.

"For the final round of the competition, I was asked to submit a second section of the novel, pages 51 through 100," Andersson said.

Andersson is one of just 15 semi-finalists in the contest, which typically draws more than 600 entries. Results are expected to be announced in late fall.

"Troy Goes Greek" is about a bright but underachieving college student with "a kooky sense of humor and dazzling hypocrisy -- a fellow who is easy to love, but also easy to hate," Andersson said.

"Several literary agents have also asked to read my latest novel, 'The Eating Habits of Neuroscientists (Book One: Meat, Poultry, and Game)'," Andersson said.

A senior from Barrington, Illinois, Andersson has served as co-editor-in-chief of Catch, Knox's award-winning student literary magazine. Last year, he completed an honors project in psychology, "The Health and Social Effects of Writing Behind a Mask: Towards Clinical Interventions and a Literary Science." He recently gave an on-campus lecture about the project, and is completing an research article. This year, Andersson plans to undertake a second honors project in creative writing.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 45 states and 44 nations. Knox's 'Old Main' is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.