- Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction (1984) (How Far She Went)
- The Southern Review /Louisiana State University Short Fiction Award (1984)(How Far She Went)
- National Magazine Award in fiction (1986) "Something Good for Ginnie"
- Lillian Smith Book Award (1987) (And Venus is Blue)
- Dixie Council of Authors and Journalists Author-of-the-Year Award (1987)(And Venus is Blue)
- Townsend Prize for Fiction (1988)(And Venus is Blue)
- Whiting Award (1994)
- Robert Penn Warren Award (2001)
- Townsend Prize for Fiction (2016)(A Clear View of the Southern Sky)
[5][6]