Sun's Alvarez wins book award

The Maryland Center for the Book has named Sun staff writer Rafael Alvarez the winner of its first Rising Star Award.

The award, which honors a Maryland writer showing exceptional literary promise, will be presented May 12 at the Maryland Library Association's annual conference in Towson.

Alvarez, a lifelong resident of Baltimore, is the author of "The Fountain of Highlandtown," a collection of short stories, and "Hometown Boy," a collection of his articles for The Sun. His latest book, "Orlo and Leini," is the six-story saga of a Baltimore junkman and his tormented Greek lover.

"Rafael Alvarez has a way with words that is pure magic," said Pat Bates, coordinator of the Maryland Center for the Book. "At times I feel I am reading poetry. He makes readers want to visit every corner of Baltimore, and meet every one of his characters."

The Howard County Library was designated the home of the Maryland Center for the Book by the Library of Congress in 1996. The center started the Rising Star Award to advance its mission to recognize and promote Maryland authors.