PEN America will honor Ann Patchett, award-winning author and owner of Parnassus Books, Nashville, Tenn., with the PEN/Audible Literary Service Award; and film producer Jason Blum, founder/CEO of Blumhouse, with the Business Visionary award at its annual Literary Gala on May 14, 2026.
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| Ann Patchett, Jason Blum | |
PEN America said it will celebrate Patchett's "searing and complex storytelling and her dedication to championing independent bookselling and nurturing a vibrant literary community. Her bookstore, Parnassus Books, which she started in her hometown in Nashville, has evolved into a welcome refuge for readers and a beacon for writers from across the country." Blum is being recognized "for his daring and diverse films that have transformed horror from a niche genre into a driving force of contemporary culture, often with social issues at the core."
Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, PEN America's interim co-CEO, said: "Ann Patchett distills the essence of the human condition with humor and heart in stories that explore the depth and meaning of family, friendship and morality. At this moment, when writers are being banned, harassed, and threatened for their words, we are honored to recognize the singular and humane voice of a writer who has earned a place as both a literary luminary and a household name. Beyond her own remarkable literary contributions, Patchett has been an extraordinary champion for literary community and a mentor and promoter of emerging writers. Her own bookstore, which she opened in 2011, has evolved into a refuge for readers and writers, as community crises swirled, and fulfilled a critical need that was lost when Nashville's only two booksellers closed."
Interim co-CEO Summer Lopez added: "As moviegoers we have all felt the exhilaration of an unnerving horror story, but until Jason Blum's thoroughly audacious approach, we had never seen this genre electrified with such daring, diverse, and complex storytelling. His work serves as a testament to the idea that great storytelling and fearless vision can both shape and push culture forward. We are, yes, thrilled to honor Blum's body of work."