Out of all the National Book Award fiction finalists announced today, one writer had the Twittersphere buzzing--Bonnie Jo Campbell's nomination for "American Salvage," published by Wayne State University Press.

Washington Post Book World editor Ron Charles summed it up in this tweet: "AMERICAN SALVAGE (Wayne State) is the NBA's version of last year's NBCC-nominated BALLAD OF TRENCHMOUTH TAGGERT (W Va UP). The "Huh?" slot." Journalist (and former GalleyCat editor) Sarah Weinman pointed out that Campbell may have "the greatest bio of a National Book Award finalist ever," and we heartily agree.

Here's an excerpt from Campbell's intriguing backstory: "I'm a writer living in an unfinished house in Kalamazoo, Michigan, with my husband Christopher and other animals. I am six- feet tall and I drive a 1985 Chevy pick-up truck with a rebuilt 350 small-block engine. My first novel QRoad was released September 2002 and Kraftbrau Brewery in Kalamazoo has created a specialty beer, Q Brew, to celebrate the occasion."