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Elizabeth Searle is the author of two works of theater and three books of fiction: CELEBRITIES IN DISGRACE, a novella and stories; A FOUR-SIDED BED, a novel nominated for an American Library Association Book Award and MY BODY TO YOU, a story collection that won the Iowa Short Fiction Prize. The New York Times Book Review called her novella Celebrities in Disgrace “a miniature masterpiece.”

Her and Michael Teoli's Rock Opera, TONYA & NANCY THE ROCK OPERA-- as well as her and Abigail Al-Doory Cross’ original opera, TONYA AND NANCY: THE OPERA-- have drawn worldwide media attention. In May, 2006, at the American Reperatory Theater’s ‘new space for new works,’ Tufts Music premeired the opera, which is based on the infamous Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan ice scandal. The opera drew coverage from-- among other media outlets-- Associated Press, ESPN Hollywood, Sports Illustrated, the New York Times, the London Times, The Daily Show and National Public Radio. Searle and composer Teoli created the full-length Rock Opera which premiered in February, 2008, drawing media coverage from GOOD MORNING AMERICA, CNN, CBS and FOX. Future productions are forthcoming in 2009.

Searle’s short stories have appeared in magazines such as PLOUGHSHARES, REDBOOK, NEW ENGLAND REVIEW AGNI, and KENYON REVIEW and in anthologies such as LOVERS and DON'T YOU FORGET ABOUT ME. She won the 2000 Lawrence Foundation Fiction Prize. She received her MFA from Brown University.

Searle has taught fiction writing at Brown, Emerson College, Bennington MFA, Stonecoast MFA, and the University of Massachusetts (Visiting Writer, 2007-08). Presently, her novella CELEBRITIES IN DISGRACE is being adapted for film. She is also writing screenplays for Harborside Films. Searle is on the Executive Board of PEN/New England and runs the Erotic PEN readings. She teaches at Stonecoast MFA. Searle lives with her husband and son in Arlington, MA.

Elizabeth Searle
Email: e.searle@comcast.net

BA: Oberlin College, 1983; MA: Brown University, 1988

BOOKS

• Celebrities in Disgrace, a novella and stories. Graywolf Press, 2001.
• A Four-Sided Bed, a novel. Graywolf Press, 1998
• My Body to You, short stories. Winner of the 1992 Iowa Short Fiction Prize (James Salter, judge). University of Iowa Press, 1993

ANTHOLOGIES

• Don’t You Forget About Me, edited by Jaime Clarke; nonfiction piece “The Scream, With Lipgloss” included; Simon and Schuster; 2007
• The Darfur Anthology; nonfiction piece, "Letter to Laura" included; ECC, 2007
• Write Now; edited by Sherry Ellis; essay, “Object Lesson”. Penguin; 2006
• Out of the Blue/ Writers Unite anthology. Crooked River Press; 2004.
• The Iowa Award anthology. University of Iowa Press; 2002. Story “What to Do in an Emergency” selected for inclusion.
• American Fiction (awards anthology). New Rivers Press, 1995. Story: “Another Spineless White Girl.”
• Breaking Up is Hard to Do. Crossing Press, 1994. Story: “Losing Weight.”
• The Time of Our Lives. Crossing Press, 1993. Story: “White Eggplant.”
• Lovers. Crossing Press, 1992. Story: “My Body to You.”

LIBRETTI

• TONYA AND NANCY: THE OPERA; published in Post Road magazine; Opera previewed at American Reperatory Theater’s Zero Arrow series in May, 2006.
• TONYA AND NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA, produced by Triangle Productions, premiered in Feb. of 2008; new productions forthcoming in 2009

SCREENPLAYS

• Celebrities in Disgrace adapted for film, 2005.
• Screenwriting for Harborside Films, 2005-present

SHORT STORY PUBLICATIONS

• Massachusetts Review--"Hammond Castle"; 2009
• New England Review--"If You Play Joni Mitchell"; Spring, 2008
• Hayden's Ferry Review-- “When You Watch Me”; April, 2008
• Massachusetts Review-- “Sick Play”; January, 2006
• Other Magazine--“The Thing About Hinckley”; summer, 2004
• Scene Magazine (Boston)-- “Wind-Up Camera”; Spring, 2003
• Genre-- “Pretend Boyfriend” Summer, 2003
• Ontario Review-- “101” Summer, 2001
• Michigan Quarterly Review-- “Birthdays” Fall, 2000
• Chelsea-- “What It’s Worth” Fall, 2000
• Five Points-- “Memoir of a Soon-to-Be Star” Fall, 1998
• Ploughshares-- “Why We’re Here” Winter, 1997
• Boulevard-- “The Young and the Rest of Us” Winter, 1997
• Agni Review-- “A Four-Sided Bed” Fall, 1995
• Boulevard-- “Not Herself” Spring, 1993
• Kenyon Review-- “My Body to You.” Fall, 1992
• Epoch-- “Round Objects.” Winter, 1991
• Ploughshares-- “White Eggplant.” Fall, 1991
• Epoch-- “Number Eight.” Fall, 1991
• Chelsea-- “What to Do in an Emergency.” Fall, 1991
• The California Quarterly-- “Tell Me About It.” Fall, 1991
• The Roberts Writing Awards Annual, 1990-- “News.” January, 1991
• Confrontation-- “Give the Gift of Life and Sight.” Spring, 1990
• Epoch-- “Virgins.” Winter, 1989
• The California Quarterly-- “Losing Weight.” Fall, 1988
• South Carolina Review-- “ First Most Beautiful Woman in the World.” 1988
• The Greensboro Review-- “Days and Nights.” Summer, 1988
• The Indiana Review-- “How Are You This Evening?” Winter, 1986
• The Indiana Review-- “Stella.” Spring, 1985
• South Carolina Review-- “Alice Egner.” Fall, 1984
• South Carolina Review-- “Dogs Chase Cars.” Spring, 1984
• Redbook-- “Missing LaDonna.” September, 1982

BOOK REVIEWS & ESSAYS

• Amercian Book Review; 2005; Book review/essay
• Post Road: Summer, 2004: Interview with me on my fiction
• Improper Bostonian: Fall, 2002: essay for Literary Issue.
• Post Road; Spring, 2002: essay: “Black Tickets: Then and Now.”
• Ploughshares; Book reviews: Fall, 1997; Winter, 1992; Fall, 1992; Winter, 1991

RECOGNITION AND AWARDS

• 2008 and 2006 Tonya & Nancy Opera and Rock Opera coverage included interviews on NPR, ESPN Hollywood, MSNBC and in Sports Illustrated, the CBC and the Associated Press (2006) and in 2008 coverage on Good Morning America, CNN, Fox and CBS The Early Show.
• 2008 Portland Area Music Awards: TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA nominated for Best Original Musical and Best Original Song
• 2008 Boston Cabaret Songwriter's Showcase: songs from TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA featured as Showcase finale
• Paterson Fiction Prize, 2002; book Celebrities in Disgrace chosen as finalist
• American Library Association Prizes, 1998: book A Four-Sided Bed chosen as finalist in its ALA Prize fiction catagory.
• Lawrence Foundation Prize for Fiction; winner, 2001
• Selected for inclusion in Contemporary Authors and in Who’s Who in American Women, Millennial Edition, among other reference works.
• Boston Globe Paperback Bestseller List: novel listed: February, 1998.
• America Online; amazon.com; Library Journal (magazine): novel cited as a ‘Best First Novel’ or named as a ‘Recommended Book’.
• PEN/New England: elected to Executive Board, 1998; Vice Chair, 2001.
• Best American Short Stories, 1986, 1991 and 1993; Pushcart Prize, ‘93/’94, 2001: stories cited among the “Distinguished Stories of the Year.”
• Iowa Short Fiction Prize, 1992. Story manuscript selected by James Salter for publication and award.
• Chelsea Fiction Prize, 1991. Nationwide competition; short story “What to Do in an Emergency” won first prize.
• Roberts Writing Awards, 1990: short story “News” chosen to appear in awards annual; sponsored by the HG Roberts Foundation.
• Ms. Magazine, nationwide fiction contest, 1982: short story “First Most Beautiful Woman in the World” selected as 2nd prize winner.

WRITERS’ CONFERENCES & ORGANIZATIONS

• 2005-2009 Desert Nights, Rising Stars: Arizona State University Writers’ Conference; reader and teacher: Spring, 2005 ; Spring, 2006, Spring 2007,2008; forthcoming in 2009.
• 2008 Write Angles Writing Conference; Mt. Holyoke. Elizabeth led a seminar on Erotic Writing.
• Maine Writers and Publishers Conference. reader and teacher, 1999 & 2001.
• Cape Cod Writers’ Conference. Lecturer, Fiction. Summers: 1997 and 1993.
• Rutgers University Writers’ Conference. Featured reader and teacher of Fiction Workshops. Spring, 1994
• Lowell Writers’ Conference: 1990-92; Conference Director: 1993
• PEN/ New England: Executive Officer, 1999; Vice Chair, 2002; Executive Board Member, 1998; Reach Out & Read Literacy Book Fair; childrens' Book Building project, 1995-present.