John L. Smith
2026 Nevada Writers Hall of Fame Inductee

Native Nevadan John L. Smith has spent more than four decades writing about the characters and conundrums that make the state unique. The author of many books, his titles for the University of Nevada Press include Saints, Sinners, and Sovereign Citizens: The Endless War over the West’s Public Lands; The Westside Slugger: Joe Neal’s Lifelong Fight for Social Justice, and as a co-author My Life in Politics: The Memoirs of Senator Richard H. Bryan. His work is featured in both volumes of the acclaimed collections of American columnists, Deadline Artists.

Among his writing honors are the Robert Laxalt Distinguished Writer Award, Northwestern’s Foley-Medill Medal for Courage in Journalism, ethics awards from the University of Oregon and National Society of Professional Journalists, and honors from the Best of the West and Nevada Press Association. He is a member of the press association’s Hall of Fame, and has received the Silver Pen Award from the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame. He’s also appeared on numerous documentaries, including The American Experience: Las Vegas – an Unconventional History, and Nobody Speak: Trials of the Free Press.

Married to fellow Nevada Writers Hall of Fame member Sally Denton, John has a daughter, three stepsons, a grandson, and three dogs. He lives in Reno, where he writes an award-winning column for The Nevada Independent, freelances widely, and is working on his next book.

Amanda Skenandore
2026 Silver Pen Awardee

Amanda Skenandore is the award-winning author of six historical novels, including her most recent, When No One Else Will. Her books have been translated into multiple languages and garnered accolades from the American Library Association, Reader’s Digest, Silicon Valley Reads, and Apple Books. In 2024, she was awarded the Nevada Arts Council Literary Fellowship. Her writing explores lesser-known corners of history and, drawing on her 16 years as a registered nurse, often includes themes of medicine, justice, and belonging. Amanda lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their pet turtle, Lenore.

Fil Corbitt
2026 Silver Pen Awardee

Fil Corbitt is a writer and radio maker from Reno, Nevada. A graduate of the Reynolds School of Journalism at UNR, Fil writes about sound, western identity and landscape. Their audio work has appeared on NPR, Snap Judgement, BBC’s Shortcuts, and on public and community radio stations across North America and beyond. Fil’s weekly short-form radio segment Postcards from The Wind airs on stations from Miami, Florida to Talkeetna, Alaska. Their radio show, The Wind, is a poetic, journalistic, narrative show that’s been featured in festivals and outlets across the world, winning a Signal Award in 2025 — a gold medal in the “best writing” category. More at The Wind.