Individuals are encouraged to nominate their favorite Hoosier author for the 2012 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award, a program of The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation which recognizes the contributions of Indiana authors to the literary landscape in Indiana and across the nation. Nominations are being accepted through March 23, 2012. The award is funded by the The Glick Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation.
The goal of the Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award is to elevate the written arts in Indiana, inspiring Hoosiers’ love of reading and drawing greater attention to “home-grown” literary greats. The award celebrates authors whose quality work has made, or has the potential to make, a lasting public impact.
The Indiana Authors Award invites public involvement throughout the year with outreach to organizations serving readers and writers, culminating with a day of free public programs and a ticketed Award Dinner on Sept. 29, 2012 at Central Library in Indianapolis.
Nomination forms and eligibility guidelines are available until March 23 at www.indianaauthorsaward.org. Those who nominate an author by March 1 will be entered for a chance to receive special prizes from the Library Foundation. Authors nominated in previous years, who were not selected as award recipients, are eligible for nomination again in the 2012 Authors Award.
Any published writer who was born in Indiana or who has lived in Indiana for at least five consecutive years is eligible for nomination. A nine-member, statewide award panel will select winners in three categories from the publicly nominated authors:
· National Author – $10,000 prize: A writer with Indiana ties, but whose work is known and read throughout the country. National authors will be evaluated on their entire body of work.
· Regional Author – $7,500 prize: A writer who is well-known and respected throughout the state of Indiana. Regional authors will be evaluated on their entire body of work.
· Emerging Author – $5,000 prize: A writer who has published no more than two books during his/her lifetime. The title(s) must have been published within the last 10 years. Emerging authors will be evaluated on these specific works.
In addition to a cash prize, each author’s Indiana hometown public library will receive a grant of $2,500 from the Library Foundation.
“The panel of literary educators and professionals who select the winning authors is amazing, but their work can’t begin until readers from across the state send them nominations,” said Marianne Glick, vice chairwoman of The Glick Fund. “Even if you’ve nominated your favorite writers in the past, definitely visit indianaauthorsaward.org to make sure they’re in the running this year.”
Last year’s awards included a public program celebrating Indiana authors and an award dinner raising more than $68,000 for the Library Foundation. At the dinner, Margaret McMullan was presented with the National Author award, while Helen Frost received the Regional Author award and Micah Ling received the Emerging Author award. These authors, as well as their hometown Indiana libraries, each received grants ranging from $2,500 to $10,000.
To submit a 2012 nomination or to learn more, contact The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation at (317) 275-4700 or visit www.indianaauthorsaward.org.
