Alexander Parsons

Alexander Parsons is an Associate Professor of Creative Writing in the Department of English at the University of Houston's College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, specializing in fiction with a focus on long-form narrative including novels and novellas.

His educational background includes a BA from Wesleyan University (1991), an MFA from the University of Iowa (1997), and an MA from New Mexico State University (1999).

Professor Parsons' research and creative interests center on contemporary fiction, novel and novella writing, and dystopian literature. He draws inspiration from authors such as Haruki Murakami, Cormac McCarthy, and Denis Johnson, with particular emphasis on the craft of long-form narrative and the works of novella-ists including César Aira and George Saunders. His teaching prioritizes technical precision and structural depth in advanced fiction workshops.

His distinguished career has been recognized with numerous awards:

• Associated Writing Program’s Award for the Novel
• Writer’s League of Texas Violet Crown Award
• PEN West Award Finalist
• Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers selection
• National Endowment for the Arts Literary Fellowship
• Mary Roberts Rinehart Award
• Sherwood Anderson Prize
• Texas Fellowship in Literature
• Roland H. O’Neal Professorship for Excellence in Teaching
• University of Houston Teaching Excellence Award (2010)
• Ross M. Lence Award in the Humanities (2014)
• Houston Arts Alliance New Works Fellowship Grant (2013-14)

As an educator, Parsons mentors graduate students in master workshops on narrative structure and has taught at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference as the John Gardner Fellow. His grant support includes the Houston Arts Alliance New Works Fellowship and Texas Fellowship in Literature, enabling creative projects and pedagogical innovation in fiction writing.