- Recipient of the Governor's Award in the Humanities (GA), 2009
- Inducted in Georgia Writers Hall of Fame, 2006
- Recipient of the Stanley W. Lindberg Award, 2007, for outstanding contribution to the literary heritage of Georgia
- Recipient of the Townsend Award, 2004, for The Valley of Light
- Recipient of the Brooke Baker Award, Dunwoody (GA) Public Library, 2007
- Recipient of the Appalachian Heritage Writer's Award from Shepherd University (WV), 2006
- Twice Named Author of the Year by the Georgia Writers Association: 1982 for After Eli and 2008 for The Book of Marie
- Awarded honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, LaGrange College, 1999
- Awarded honorary Doctor of Literature, Mercer University, 2002
- Honorary member of Phi Theta Kappa, honor society from Young Harris College
- Honorary member of Phi Kappa Phi, honor society from University of Georgia
- Named by Georgia Trend magazine as one of Georgia's most Powerful and Influential People, 1995 and 2001
- Member, Advisory Council, Byron Herbert Reece Society
- Member, Board of Directors, Athens Symphony
- Member, Advisory Committee, Georgia Center for the Book
