Special to the Recorder
A call for nominations for the 2011 Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award has begun and will extend through March 25.
The award is a program of the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation and recognizes the contributions of Indiana authors to the literary landscape in Indiana and across the nation. It is funded by the Glick Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation.
The goal of the 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 participation from people around the state beginning with the nomination process. Participation then continues throughout the year with outreach to organizations serving readers and writers with an interactive website, culminating with a day of free public programs and a ticketed award dinner on Oct. 29 at the Central Library in Indianapolis.
Nomination forms are available until March 25 at www.indianaauthorsaward.org. There is no fee to nominate an author. Complete information and eligibility guidelines are included on the nomination forms.
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 10-member, statewide award panel will select winners in three categories from the publicly nominated authors:
n 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.
n 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.
n 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.
“These awards would not be a success without passionate readers across the state nominating their favorite writers,” said Marianne Glick, daughter of Eugene and Marilyn Glick and vice chair of the Glick Fund. “Our family is incredibly proud to be part of a program that continues to gain such momentum year after year.”
Last year’s awards program included a public program celebrating Indiana authors attended by 650 participants and an award dinner raising more than $64,000 for the Library Foundation. At the dinner, Indiana native Scott Russell Sanders was presented with the National Author award while Ray Boomhower received the Regional Author award and Greg Schwipps 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 2011 nomination or to learn more, call the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Foundation at (317) 275-4700 or visit www.indianaauthorsaward.org.
