The Colorado Book Award is a program that seeks to celebrate the accomplishments of Colorado’s literary community. The Award is meant to both recognize outstanding authors and to promote those authors to Colorado readers. Our goal is to raise the profile of the literary community and recognize its contributors while increasing their accessibility to the everyday reader who will, in turn, appreciate and share their work.

2008 Finalists announced!!
Download Press Release here
Download Finalist List here

Apply to be a Judge or Selector for next year's Awards

Authors: Submit your entry form for the 2008 Book Awards

Past Book Award Winners. Please choose the year below:
2004
2005
2006
2007

Eligibility

1. To be eligible for a Colorado Book Award, a primary contributor to the book must be a Colorado writer, editor, illustrator or photographer. Current Colorado residents are eligible, as are individuals engaged in ongoing literary work in the state and authors whose personal history, identity, or literary work reflect a strong Colorado influence. Authors not currently Colorado residents who feel their work is inspired by or connected to Colorado should submit a letter with his/her entry describing the connection. Final eligibility determinations will be made by the Colorado Book Awards Advisory Committee.

2. Entries in the 17th Annual Colorado Book Awards must have a 2007 publication date. With the exception of fine press entries, books must be professionally published and assigned an ISBN. New editions of previously published work are not eligible unless substantive changes have been made to the text of the book. Books published and available in late 2007 that have a delayed (2008) copyright may be submitted either in the 17th or the 18th Annual Colorado Book Awards, but not both.

Judging

The Colorado Book Awards seeks to celebrate the accomplishments of Colorado's literary community and promote them to Colorado readers. Judges and Selectors are asked to apply, and each application is reviewed by the Colorado Book Awards Advisory Committee, before selecting and judging begin. Judges and Selectors may not be asked to serve in consecutive award years. Each committee is formed to represent a range of ages, gender and backgrounds--from the expert to the avid reader. Every book entered in the Colorado Book Awards (unless otherwise noted) is judged on three primary criteria:

•  Content: The quality of the written word.

•  Originality: Even if the subject of a book is popular, does the book take a new or interesting approach to that subject?

•  General Appeal: Would this book appeal to a wide-variety of readers?

There are also Secondary criteria that address specific issues in each category. For instance, Children's Picture Books are also judged on the integration of illustrations to story, and Anthologies are judged on the integration of authors and the quality of editing.
 

Award Category Descriptions

Anthology and Collection - a collection of poems, stories, or essays by one or more authors, in which there is a compiler or editor. (Collections of stories or poetry by a single author, without an editor, should be submitted in the Poetry or Fiction category.) In the Anthology and Collection category, either the editor must be a Coloradan or (in the case of books with multiple authors represented) the majority of selections must be written by Coloradans for the book to be eligible.

Creative Nonfiction - Dramatic, true stories using scenes, dialogue, close, detailed descriptions and other techniques usually employed by poets and fiction writers about important subjects - from politics, to economics, to sports, to the arts and sciences, to racial relations, and family relations.

Creative Nonfiction heightens the whole concept and idea of essay writing. It allows a writer to employ the diligence of a reporter, the shifting voices and viewpoints of a novelist, the refined wordplay of a poet and the analytical modes of the essayist.

Creative Nonfiction includes: autobiography and memoir

Children's Literature - a work for beginning or middle readers. (This includes easy readers, chapter books, picture-books and poetry collections.) This category is judged by teams of children and adults.

Fine Press - unique, handmade, limited edition publications. Eligible creators in this category may include book designers, writers, and illustrators. Books in this category will be judged primarily on craftsmanship.

General Nonfiction - a nonfiction book that does not fit into another category.

History and Biography - a nonfiction book of history or biography.

Fiction - a novel, novella, or short story collection by a single author.

Poetry - a book-length collection of poetry by a single writer. Chapbooks are also eligible (30 pages defines Chapbook).

Popular Fiction - a book of fiction written in a popular genre or style, including mystery, fantasy, romance, and science fiction. Please note: If a genre receives more than 12 entries in an awards year it will be broken out and a Colorado Book Award will be given for the genre in particular.

Young Adult Literature - a work of fiction or poetry for young adults (age 12 and up).

Pictorial - a work that strongly focuses on photographic work either by a Colorado photographer or of a Colorado subject. Books in this category will be judged primarily on their illustrative content.

Process, Deadlines & Fees

• Download and complete a 2008 Colorado Book Award Application.
• Check or money order for $50 processing fee (Make checks payable to Colorado Humanities)
• 10 copies of the nominated book.
• The Submission Deadline is: February 29th 2008.

Click Here to Download a 2008 Colorado Book Award Application

Colorado Center for the Book
Colorado Humanities
1490 Lafayette Street - Suite 101
Denver, CO 80218

March through June 2008
Selectors will read and evaluate (using Award Criteria) all entries and select finalists in each catagory. All entrants are welcome to attend the Gala event and will be notified regarding the date, time and location.

June through August 2008
Judges read and evaluate the selected finalist books. Finalist will be asked to submit 10 additional copies of the book, a personal biography, book description and book cover art.

October 8th, 2008
Award recipients announced at the silent auction and dinner. Winners will read.

Download a copy of these Guidelines

For more information:

Eligibility

Selectors and Judges are recruited from Colorado’s literary and academic communities; such as people who have made an outstanding contribution to the reading and writing community, or who have expertise in the particular category, previous Award recipients or otherwise recognized authors, photographers, editors and illustrators. The eligibility also extends to librarians, qualified local book buyers and sellers as well as the adult teen, ‘tween and child who just plain loves to read.

Criteria

• Literary Merit: Categories will vary, but regardless of their differences, the quality of the craft—writing, illustration, photography—should receive primary consideration.
• General Appeal: A winning book should appeal to a broad, general audience. This does not mean that books specializing in a particular audience are automatically eliminated; however, it does mean that all winning books should achieve a certain availability to readers outside of that specialty.
• Originality: Winning titles should demonstrate innovative, artistic qualities in their particular genre or category.

Process

• Download and complete the 2008 Selector & Judge Application Form.
• Submit the completed form to Colorado Humanities no later than: February 15th, 2008.

Click Here to Download a 2008 Selector & Judge Application

You will be contacted by Colorado Humanities to either Judge or Select.
You will be expected to collaborate with your Category Facilitator, who will drive the selection and judging process in an effort to meet the program deadlines. You are requested to have a current email account in order to expedite communications. This is a volunteer effort and no monetary compensation is provided. All selectors and judges will be invited to attend the Award Gala free of charge in recognition of their efforts.

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