Mark Maynard, who grew up in Incline Village, will be awarded the 2015 Silver Pen award in November.

He is the author of “Grind”. Maynard is the program coordinator the Nevada Humanities Reno Literary Crawl, and the co-founder of the Sierra Literary Alliance. He lives in Sparks.

Laura McBride, author of “We Are Called to Rise”, is also receiving the Silver Pen award.

The Silver Pen Award is given to emerging and mid-career writers of promise.

Ellen Hopkins, author of 11 bestselling novels, numerous stories and more than 20 children’s nonfiction titles will be inducted into Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.

Hopkins has been living in the Tahoe-Reno area since 1985, settling near Carson City in 1990. In 2012, she founded Ventana Sierra, a nonprofit youth housing and resource initiative, as a way of helping young people in need. She also mentors other writers through her position as a regional adviser for the Nevada chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

Former Friends of the University Libraries President Marilyn Melton conceived the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. She envisioned two purposes: an annual event honoring Nevada’s finest writers and a stimulus to encourage excellence among emerging writers in the Silver State.

The names of the authors who have been inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame are displayed on a wall of honor in the Leslie Harvey and Robert George Whittemore Tower Entry and Reception Gallery of the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center at UNR.

Honorees are selected based on their body of work, critical recognition and a strong connection to Nevada through the themes of their writing or residence in the state.

The reception and silent auction begin Nov. 19 at 6pm; followed by the program at 7pm. Tickets are $40. For more information or to make reservations, contact Breanne Standingwater at 775.682.6022 or bstandingwater@unr.edu.