Peg Alford Pursell is the author of SHOW HER A FLOWER, A BIRD, A SHADOW, the Foreword INDIES 2017 Book of the Year for Literary Fiction and A GIRL GOES INTO THE FOREST (Dzanc Books), a finalist for the California Booksellers Alliance Golden Poppy Award and a Great Group Reads selection by the Women’s National Book Association.
Her books have appeared on "best of" and "most anticipated" lists and have been widely reviewed and critically acclaimed. Her writing has been hailed as “gorgeously crafted” and “psychologically keen” and her voice described as “precise, elegant, and wise." Learn more here.
In addition to her own creative work, Peg has earned national acclaim as the founder and sole editor of WTAW Press and its imprints, shaping award-winning books and mentoring a generation of literary talent.
Find Peg on Facebook, Bluesky, or Instagram. She sends out a personal newsletter (described by one reader as "the best email I receive all month") that you can sign up for here.
Extended bio
Peg is a nationally recognized, award-winning author and one of the most accomplished literary editors working today. With over 20 years of experience as a freelance editor and as sole editor of WTAW Press, Betty Books, and the Alcove Chapbook Series, she has shepherded authors to publication who have gone on to receive awards, honors, and acclaim, including Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards (Short Story, Memoir, Literary), the William Saroyan International Prize for Fiction, the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Fiction, the Pen/Faulkner Award, ALA Notable Books for Adults, Barnes and Noble Discover Prize, and more.
Some of her authors include Henry Hoke, Molly Giles, Anita Felicelli, Kevin McIlvoy, Joan Frank, Nancy Au, Olga Zilberbourg, Louise Marburg, and more.
Peg is also the author of two award-winning and acclaimed books: Show Her a Flower, A Bird, A Shadow, which won the 2017 INDIES Book of the Year in Literary Fiction, and A Girl Goes Into the Forest, a finalist for the California Booksellers Alliance Golden Poppy Award and a Great Group Reads selection by the Women’s National Book Association. Her writing has been described as “gorgeously crafted” and “psychologically keen,” and her voice praised as “precise, elegant, and wise.”
In addition to her work as a long-time developmental editor and mentor, founder and editor of WTAW Press, she is the founder and curator of the award-winning national literary reading series Why There Are Words, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers.
More details about Peg Alford Pursell’s Literary Background & Recognition
Peg’s fiction and hybrid work have appeared in numerous lit journals and magazines, and they have been performed in venues such as Stories on Stage both in Sacramento and Davis, California. Her work has been nominated multiple times for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best Microfiction, among others, and was a finalist for the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is a two-time recipient of the South Carolina Fiction Project Award and South Carolina Academy of authors.
Peg’s work is voice-driven and character-centered, often exploring the subtle textures of interior lives. Whether guiding a debut novelist or an award-winning author, she brings the same sensitivity, intuition, and rigor to the editorial process—ensuring the writer feels both challenged and seen. She sees the editorial relationship as a creative collaboration rooted in trust, one that ultimately strengthens both the writer’s confidence and the manuscript’s impact.
Peg Alford Pursell approaches writing and editing as acts with deep attention and reverential emotional precision and resonance. She believes that the best literature reveals what it means to be human—and that great writing is born from a careful balance of structure, voice, and vulnerability. Her editorial practice is grounded in listening closely to a writer’s intent and helping them realize their vision with clarity and resonance.
You can get in touch with Peg via the contact page.
Her books have appeared on "best of" and "most anticipated" lists and have been widely reviewed and critically acclaimed. Her writing has been hailed as “gorgeously crafted” and “psychologically keen” and her voice described as “precise, elegant, and wise." Learn more here.
In addition to her own creative work, Peg has earned national acclaim as the founder and sole editor of WTAW Press and its imprints, shaping award-winning books and mentoring a generation of literary talent.
Find Peg on Facebook, Bluesky, or Instagram. She sends out a personal newsletter (described by one reader as "the best email I receive all month") that you can sign up for here.
Extended bio
Peg is a nationally recognized, award-winning author and one of the most accomplished literary editors working today. With over 20 years of experience as a freelance editor and as sole editor of WTAW Press, Betty Books, and the Alcove Chapbook Series, she has shepherded authors to publication who have gone on to receive awards, honors, and acclaim, including Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Awards (Short Story, Memoir, Literary), the William Saroyan International Prize for Fiction, the Lambda Literary Award for LGBTQ+ Fiction, the Pen/Faulkner Award, ALA Notable Books for Adults, Barnes and Noble Discover Prize, and more.
Some of her authors include Henry Hoke, Molly Giles, Anita Felicelli, Kevin McIlvoy, Joan Frank, Nancy Au, Olga Zilberbourg, Louise Marburg, and more.
Peg is also the author of two award-winning and acclaimed books: Show Her a Flower, A Bird, A Shadow, which won the 2017 INDIES Book of the Year in Literary Fiction, and A Girl Goes Into the Forest, a finalist for the California Booksellers Alliance Golden Poppy Award and a Great Group Reads selection by the Women’s National Book Association. Her writing has been described as “gorgeously crafted” and “psychologically keen,” and her voice praised as “precise, elegant, and wise.”
In addition to her work as a long-time developmental editor and mentor, founder and editor of WTAW Press, she is the founder and curator of the award-winning national literary reading series Why There Are Words, and holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the Warren Wilson MFA Program for Writers.
More details about Peg Alford Pursell’s Literary Background & Recognition
Peg’s fiction and hybrid work have appeared in numerous lit journals and magazines, and they have been performed in venues such as Stories on Stage both in Sacramento and Davis, California. Her work has been nominated multiple times for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and Best Microfiction, among others, and was a finalist for the Flannery O’Connor Award for Short Fiction. She is a two-time recipient of the South Carolina Fiction Project Award and South Carolina Academy of authors.
Peg’s work is voice-driven and character-centered, often exploring the subtle textures of interior lives. Whether guiding a debut novelist or an award-winning author, she brings the same sensitivity, intuition, and rigor to the editorial process—ensuring the writer feels both challenged and seen. She sees the editorial relationship as a creative collaboration rooted in trust, one that ultimately strengthens both the writer’s confidence and the manuscript’s impact.
Peg Alford Pursell approaches writing and editing as acts with deep attention and reverential emotional precision and resonance. She believes that the best literature reveals what it means to be human—and that great writing is born from a careful balance of structure, voice, and vulnerability. Her editorial practice is grounded in listening closely to a writer’s intent and helping them realize their vision with clarity and resonance.
You can get in touch with Peg via the contact page.