Colorado Authors' League

All Colorado Authors' League members are invited to enter their best works published in 2007. Please read the contest rules carefully before submitting your entries. Award winners will be announced at the CAL annual banquet in spring 2008. Prizes include cash, plaques, recognition and promotion.

There will be two levels of judging. All entries will be initially screened by two preliminary judges who are CAL members with expertise in the category they judge, and who have not submitted an entry in that category for this contest. CAL judges will narrow the entries to the top three in each short category and the top two in each book category. Judges with expertise in the category they judge, but who are not CAL members, will select the award winners.

If no entry in a particular category is considered worthy of an award, the judges may elect to withhold an award in that category. On the other hand, if a category has only one entry, the judges may decide to grant an award to that entry if they consider it worthy.

Contest Rules

1. Only original work may be entered. Such work includes books in which the contestant has contributed a piece. However, only the contestant's work will be judged, not the entire book. Original work may include self-published books.

2. A contestant (and all collaborators) must be a CAL member in good standing with dues paid in full.

3. All entries must have been published during 2007.

4. Contestants must submit two (2) copies of each entry and provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope if they wish to have their entries returned and a second SASE if they wish to receive copies of the final judge's comments in the event that their entry is chosen for the final round.

5. Contestants are responsible for placing their entry in the most appropriate category. The Awards Committee cannot accept responsibility for reclassifying entries. Once submitted, each entry will be judged in the category in which the contestant placed it.

6. Each entry must be accompanied by an official entry form or facsimile, fully completed and signed, along with the $10.00 entry fee. Please submit checks payable to CAL, cash will not be accepted.

7. Members may enter as many times and in as many categories as they wish with a separate entry form and fee for each entry (fees may be combined in one check).

8. Any entry not in strict compliance with these rules will automatically be disqualified.

9. The contest will take place only if 50 or more entries are received by the deadline.

Categories

BOOK LENGTH FICTION (Hardcover or Paperback Originals)

1. Mainstream

2. Genre

3. Middle Grade/Young Adult

4. Children (picture books and early readers)

SHORT FICTION

5. Adult

6. Young Adult/Children

BOOK LENGTH NONFICTION (Hardcover or Paperback Originals)

7. Service and informational nonfiction

8. Narrative nonfiction

9. Young Adult/Children

NONFICTION ARTICLES

10. Adult Feature (i.e., travel, trends, profiles, how-to, investigative, round-ups, etc.)

11. Adult Essay (op-ed, humor, inspirational, personal, etc.)

12. Young Adult/Children

POETRY

13. All forms of poetry

SPECIALTY WRITING

14. Any published work the author believes is not covered by any other category (i.e. non-print media, scripts, newsletters, brochures, calendars, etc.)

Why Enter? The Colorado Authors' League Awards is one of the most prestigious writing contests in the region. Previous winners represent the best of western writers in all fields of writing as judged by their peers. As in recent years, recipients will be honored at the awards banquet in the spring in Denver, and will receive cash prizes, an engraved plaque, and 25 gold seals imprinted with "Colorado Authors' League" for promotional purposes.

In addition, winners may anticipate exposure for their work throughout 2008. For example, press releases will be sent to local newspapers, letters of notification will be sent to the editors of the award winners, and winning book entries will be highlighted at literary events in which CAL participates.

Submitting Entries

For each entry, fill out an official entry form. Mail the form with two copies of the work to be judged and the $10 entry fee. Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope or mailing container if you would like to have your submission returned. Submissions without SASE will not be returned. Enclose a second SASE if you wish to receive copies of the final judge's comments in the event that your entry is chosen for the final round.

Multiple entries may be sent in one package, but each entry must be accompanied by its own Entry Form and $10 entry fee. Make sure your entry forms are complete.

Entries must be postmarked by midnight, February 29, 2008.

Send FICTION entries to:

   CAL 2008 Awards
    Irv Sternberg, Awards Chair
    12837 W. 78th Circle
    Arvada, CO 80005

Send NONFICTION entries to:
   CAL 2008 Awards
    Pete Lewis, Awards Assistant
    9020 Woodland Dr.
    Highlands Ranch, CO 80126

Questions?

If you have any questions please contact Awards Chair Irv Sternberg at 720.898.4444
isternberg@comcast.net.

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