The New York State Writers Institute has announced that Ayad Akhtar has been named the new State Author, and Willie Perdomo the new State Poet. Akhtar will receive the Edith Wharton Citation of Merit for Fiction and Perdomo will receive the Walt Whitman Citation of Merit for Poetry at a special ceremony to be held 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 24, at the University at Albany’s … Continue reading The New York State Writers Institute has announced that Ayad Akhtar has been Named the New State Author, and Willie Perdomo the New State Poet