Entries for the 17th annual Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence will be accepted through Oct. 15.
The award, presented by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, honors award-winning Louisiana author Gaines’ extraordinary contribution to the literary world. Each year, the award recognizes the outstanding work of emerging Black fiction writers. The winner receives a $15,000 prize.
Entries must be a work of fiction — novels or collections of short stories — published between Oct. 1, 2022, and Dec. 31, 2023. Galleys for a 2023 publication are also accepted. The winning author, chosen by a national panel of judges, will be required to attend an award ceremony in Baton Rouge in 2024 and participate in media and educational outreach activities during that week.
Eligibility and submission details for the award can be found at ernestjgainesaward.org/criteria.
The 2022 literary award was presented to Jacinda Townsend for her second novel, “Mother Country.” Other recent winners include: “The Sweetness of Water” by Nathan Harris; “Everywhere You Don’t Belong” by Gabriel Bump; “Lot” by Bryan Washington; and “A Lucky Man” by Jamel Brinkley.
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