The Loft Literary Center today announced the winners of the 2013 McKnight Artist Fellowships for Writers.

The winners are Matthew Batt of St. Paul; Minneapolis writer Eric Braun; writer Susan Koefod; and memoirist Kao Kalia Yang of Minneapolis. The young-adult winner is Anne Ursu.

Honorable mentions went to Jonathan Odell, Pallavi Dixit, Katie Hae Leo, Yuko Taniguchi, Will Alexander, Brian Farrey-Latz, and Lynne Jonnell.

It is a testament to the depth of the field that among the honorable mentions are a National Book Award winner and two winners of a Minnesota Book Award.

The awards carry a prize of $25,000 each.

Matthew Batt is the author of the memoir, "Sugarhouse," and his work has appeared in Tin House, Huffington Post, and elsewhere. He teaches at the University of St. Thomas and is at work on a collection of essays.

Eric Braun, winner of a Minnesota Monthly Tamarack Award, has published short stories in a number of literary journals.

Susan Koefod has widely published prose, poetry and mysteries.

Kao Kalia Yang is the author of the memoir "The Latehomecomer." She co-hosts a weekly radio program focusing on the Hmong community.

Anne Ursu's latest book is "Breadcrumbs." She teaches at Hamline University.