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Shannon Ravenel

Shannon Ravenel, who graduated from Hollins in 1960 with a BA in English Literature, has worked in publishing for fifty years: in Houghton Mifflin’s trade editorial department from 1961-1971, as series editor of The Best American Short Stories from 1977-1990, as a cofounder with Louis Rubin of Algonquin Books in 1982, as Algonquin’s editorial director from 1992-2001, and as editor of twenty volumes of New Stories from the South. In 2001, she stepped down as editorial director of Algonquin to create and direct a new imprint for Algonquin—Shannon Ravenel Books. Retired as of August 2013, she lives in Chapel Hill, NC, with her husband.

Ten Things I Can’t Do Without (in ascending order of importance):
  1. NetFlix
  2. Google
  3. iPhone
  4. MacBook
  5. Harris Teeter, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods
  6. Salter Path, NC
  7. Cats and dogs
  8. Southern writers
  9. Friends
  10. Family—one and only husband, Dale Purves; the four Smiths; the four Burnses

Shannon Ravenel's contributions: