Texas Writer Award The Texas Writer Award, formerly known as the Bookend Award, is given to a Texas writer in recognition of outstanding contributions to Texas literature. The award recipient is honored at the Texas Book Festival. 2023 Recipient Elizabeth Crook 2023 Previous Recipients Elizabeth McCracken 2022 Don Tate 2021 Stephen Graham Jones 2020 Attica Locke 2019 James Magnuson 2018 Dan Rather 2017 Benjamin Alire Sáenz 2016 Pat Mora 2015 Sarah Bird 2014 Steven Weinberg 2013 Tim O'Brien 2012 Stephen Harrigan 2011 Larry Wright 2011 H.W. Brands 2010 Rick Riordan 2009 Robert Caro 2008 Dagoberto Gilb 2007 Rolando Hinojosa-Smith 2007 Louis Sachar 2006 Mike Levy 2006 Bill Broyles 2006 Greg Curtis 2006 Evan Smith 2006 Sandra Cisneros 2005 T.R. Fehrenbach 2005 Cormac McCarthy 2005 Mary Magaret Farabee 2004 Larry L. King 2004 Walt McDonald 2004 Shelby Hearon 2003 Elmer Kelton 2003 Bud Shrake 2002 Bill Wittliff 2002 Dr. William Goetzmann 2001 Stanley Marcus 2001 John Graves 2000 Horton Foote 1999