2019: Texas Institute of Letters Kay Cattarulla Award for Best Short Story
2019: Texas Institute of Letters Bud Shrake Award for Best Creative Nonfiction
2019: WWA Finalist, Spur Award for Nonfiction
2018: Pushcart Prize Nomination, Nonfiction
2017: Tucson Festival of Books Literary Awards, Semi-finalist, Short Story
2014: Pushcart Prize, Honorable Mention: Short Fiction
2013: WWA Spur Award, Finalist: Best Short Story
2012: WWA Spur Award: Best Short Story
2011: WWA Stirrup Award, Finalist, Best Published Article
2010: Special Faculty Development Assignment, University of Texas at Dallas
2008: Violet Crown Award, Finalist, Best Work of Fiction
2006: Special Faculty Development Assignment, University of Texas at Dallas
2005: American Studies Association of Texas’ “Best Paper Award.”
2005: TIL John Bloom Award for Most Humorous Work, Finalist
2004: Polykarp Kusch Lecture, The University of Texas at Dallas
2003: TIL John Bloom Award for Most Humorous Work, Finalist
2003: TCU Press Best Book About Texas, Finalist
2002: Texas Review Press: George Garrett Fiction Prize for Best Novel
2001: Violet Crown Fiction Award for Best Novel
2001: WWA Spur Award, Finalist, Best Novel of the West
2001: WHA Wrangler Finalist, Best Western Novel
1998: Council on National Literatures Fiction Award
1997: Texas Council for the Arts/Austin Writers’ League Literature Grant
1997: PEN Texas Awards for Essay and Fiction
1994: Fellowship, National Endowment for the Arts
1993: WWA Spur Award, Finalist, Best Novel of the West
1992: Pulitzer Prize Entrant for Fiction
1993: ALE Award for Short Fiction
1992: Violet Crown Fiction Award for Best Novel
1992: Key to the City of Fort Worth: Friends of the Library Award
1992: WWA Spur Award, Finalist Best Western Short Fiction
1990: The National Faculty
1989: Cecil B. & Mary Beth Williams Lecture, Texas Christian University.
1989: Western Writers of America (Full Membership)
1988: Texas Institute of Letters
1988: College of Arts and Sciences Excellence in Research Award, Lamar University
1987: Pearl Hogerth Lecture, Iowa State University, 1987.
1987: Developmental Research Leave, Lamar University
1987: “Oppie” Award for The Vigil
1986: Regents’ Merit Award for Research and Writing
1983: Summer Development Research Leave, Lamar University
1983: University MiniGrant, Lamar University
1982-1987: College of Arts & Science Dean’s Merit Award
1982-1987: Directory of American Scholars
1982-1988: American Biographical Institute Advisory Board
1981-1982: Top Professional Volunteer, KVLU, Lamar University
1982: Beaumont Art Museum Scholarship for U.S. Landscape Seminar
1981: Administrative Research Grant, Lamar University
1978: Faculty Research Grant, The University of Tulsa
1977: Graduate Research Intern, The University of Tulsa
1976: Communications Intern, The University of Tulsa
1974-1977: Graduate Teaching Fellow, The University of Tulsa
1970: Dean’s List, High Honors, The University of Texas