The Association for Queer Anthropology's Ruth Benedict Book Prize 2012

Deadline: 20 July 2012

The Association for Queer Anthropology (AQA) is proud to announce the 2012 Ruth Benedict Book Prize Competition for outstanding anthropological scholarship on a lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender topic.

The Ruth Benedict Book Prize is presented each year at the American Anthropological Association’s annual meeting to acknowledge excellence in a scholarly book written from an anthropological perspective about a topic that engages issues and theoretical perspectives relevant to LGBTQ studies. The Prize is awarded in each of two separate categories, one for a single-authored monograph and another for an edited volume.

Submissions may be on any topic related to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender people, or other gender/sexual formations and categories from any world culture area. Topics may include the study of normativity, queer theory, and the social/historical construction of sexual and gender identities, discourses and categories. Authors may represent any scholarly discipline, but the material submitted must engage anthropological theories and methods. Submissions may be self-nominated or may be sent by a press or another person.

Books submitted for the competition must have a publication date of 2011 or 2012 and may not have been submitted previously. Page proofs of books scheduled for 2012 publication are acceptable but please include a letter from the publisher confirming the anticipated publication date of 2012.

To nominate a work, please submit one copy of the book or edited volume to each of the four committee members listed below, with the author or editor’s name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number printed clearly on a separate cover letter indicating that it is a submission for the Ruth Benedict Book Prize. Three voting committee members are former winners of the Ruth Benedict Book Prize. A fourth, non-voting, member is a graduate student representative from AQA. All submissions must be received by FRIDAY July 20, 2012.

2012 Ruth Benedict Book Prize Committee Members:

Evelyn Blackwood
5349 E. 200 No.
Lafayette, IN 47905

Erin Durban-Albrecht
PO Box 3356
Tucson, Arizona 85722

Mary L. Gray
P.O. Box 425517
Cambridge, MA 02142

Roger Lancaster
Cultural Studies
MSN 5E4
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030-4444

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For queries: send any inquiries to the Ruth Benedict Book Prize Committee Chair, Mary L. Gray (QcentraL@indiana.edu)

For submissions: see above list of committee members

Website: http://queeranthro.org

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Deadline June 1 | Book Manuscripts on Gender, Queer Sexuality and Transgender Studies Sought: NWSA First Book Manuscript Competition 2012

Deadline: 1 June 2012

(Note: Possible topics may include but are not limited to Gender and queer sexuality, Gendered experiences of people of color, Transgender studies, and Women of color feminisms.)

The National Women's Studies Association and the University of Illinois Press are pleased to announce a competition for the best dissertation or first book manuscript by a single author in the field of women's and gender studies. Applicants must be National Women's Studies Association members.

If a winner of the competition is selected, he or she will receive a publication contract with the University of Illinois Press. Runners up may also be considered for publication with the University of Illinois Press. Submitted dissertations must have been completed and defended after June 1, 2008. All submissions must be postmarked by June 1, 2012, and should include the following materials:

• Cover letter
• C.V.
• Proposal, including a 4-5 page overview of the scope of the project and analysis of competing titles
• Complete unbound manuscript, at least 150 double spaced pages, 12 pt. Times New Roman font

Please mention the competition in your cover letter, and also indicate if any material from the manuscript has been previously published. The winner will be announced at NWSA's annual conference.

All submissions must be exclusive submissions to the University of Illinois Press for the duration of the contest, and finalists will be notified by mid-August.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries/ submissions: direct all questions and submissions to Larin McLaughlin, Senior Acquisitions Editor, University of Illinois Press at larinmc@uillinois.edu

Website: http://www.nwsa.org/

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In Honor of Gay Journalist Peter Blazey: The Peter Blazey Fellowship 2013 for Non-Fiction (Australia)

Deadline: 2 July 2012

The Peter Blazey Fellowship was established to honour the memory of Peter Blazey - journalist, author and gay activist - and has been made available through the generosity of Clive Blazey and Tim Herbert, brother and partner of Peter Blazey.

Blazey was born in Melbourne in 1939 and worked for the Australian, the National Times and as a regular columnist for OutRage magazine. He published a number of books, including a political biography of Henry Bolte, and was co-editor of the short fiction anthology, Love Cries. His personal memoir, ScrewLoose, appeared after his death from AIDS in 1997.

The Fellowship is awarded annually to writers in the non-fiction fields of biography, autobiography and life writing and is intended to further a work in progress. Applications will be judged on literary merit, and the winner will be supported in his or her work by a cash prize of $15 000, and a one-month writer-in-residency at the Australian Centre.

THE PETER BLAZEY FELLOWSHIP 2013

GUIDELINES

1. The Fellowship is to be offered nationally and awarded annually. Applicants must either be an Australian citizen or have Australian residency.

2. The purpose of the Fellowship is to further a work in progress in the non-fiction fields of autobiography, biography or life writing. The prize must not be used to provide a publishing subsidy.

3. The manuscript will not be part of a submission for a higher degree, and the applicant may not be currently enrolled in a higher degree.

4. The submission will take the form of a curriculum vitae (no more than two pages), a synopsis (no more than one page) and an extract of approximately 5,000 words of unpublished material. Copies should be stapled and where possible printed double-sided; the text should be spaced at one and a half lines. Please note: we cannot accept applications longer than stipulated, or any additional accompanying material.

5. Selection will be made on the basis of literary merit.

6. The applicant will have a publishing record, and must include details of this in the application.

7. Four (4) copies of the entire application are to be submitted (please note: fax or electronic applications will not be accepted).

8. The total remuneration will be $15,000. The recipient will also be awarded a one-month residency at the Australian Centre. The residency includes access to office space and facilities, but does not include accommodation.

9. Entries close on Monday, 2 July 2012.

10. Please direct enquiries and send the application to Awards Coordinator, The Australian Centre, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010. Email enquiries may be directed to: awards-austcentre@unimelb.edu.au

11. Please note that application material will not be returned.

NOTIFICATION PROCESS

1. The winner will be announced and the award presented at a public event to be held in late August 2012.

2. Unsuccessful entrants will be notified.

3. The decision of the Judging Committee is final.

Download: application form

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: awards-austcentre@unimelb.edu.au

For submissions: send the application to Awards Coordinator, The Australian Centre, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010

Website: http://australian-centre.unimelb.edu.au

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Seeking Gay Book Entries: The 2012 San Francisco Book Festival / Competition

Deadline: 25 April 2012

The 2012 San Francisco Book Festival has issued a call for entries for its annual program celebrating the best books of the Spring season.

The San Francisco Book Festival will consider non-fiction, fiction, biography/autobiography, children's books, compilations/anthologies, teenage, how-to, cookbooks, science fiction, audio/spoken word, history, wild card, gay, photography/art, poetry, unpublished, travel and spiritual works. There is no date of publication deadline.

Our grand prize for the 2012 San Francisco Book Festival winner is $1500 cash and a flight to San Francisco for our gala awards ceremony. The winning author will also have a choice of fa free vendor table at our family of festivals day events, including events in New York and Hollywood.

Genre category winners will receive a combination of books, software, cash awards and free vendor tables at our New York or Hollywood Book Festivals.

Submitted works will be judged by a panel of industry experts using the following criteria:

General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.
The potential of the work to reach a wider audience.

ENTRIES: Please classify your book and enter it in the following categories. Multiple entries must be accompanied by a separate fee for each book.

• General Non-fiction
• General Fiction
• Children's books
• How-to
• Spiritual
• Photography/Art
• Gay
• Poetry
• History • Teenage
• Biography/Autobiography
• Audio/spoken word
• Compilations/Anthologies
• Best Unpublished Short Story
• Cookbooks
• Science Fiction
• Business
• Technology
• Wild Card

In addition to honoring the top selections in the above categories, The San Francisco Book Festival will award the following chosen from submissions:

Author of the Year- Honors the outstanding book of the competition.
Book Design of the Year - Honors outstanding and innovative design.
Publisher of the Year- Honors the top publisher based on materials displaying excellence in marketing and promotional materials, as determined by our judges.

FESTIVAL RULES: San Francisco Book Festival submissions cannot be returned. Each entry must contain the official entry form, including your e-mail address and contact telephone number. All shipping and handling costs must be borne by entrants.

NOTIFICATION AND DEADLINES: We will notify each entry of the receipt of their package via e-mail and will announce the winning entries on our web site (www.sanfranciscobookfestival.com). Because of the anticipated high volume of entries, we can only respond to e-mail inquiries.

Deadline submissions in each category must be postmarked by the close of business on April 25, 2012. Winners in each category will be notified by e-mail and on the web site. Please note that judges read and consider submissions on an ongoing basis, comparing early entries with later submissions at our meetings.

TO ENTER: Entry forms are available online at sanfranciscobookfestival.com or may be faxed/e-mailed to you. Please contact our office at 323-665-8080 for fax requests. Applications must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee of $50 in the form of a check, money order or PayPal online payment in U.S. dollars for each submission. Multiple submissions are permitted but each entry must be accompanied by a separate form and entry fee.

Entry fee checks should be made payable to JM Northern Media LLC. We're sorry, but entries must be mailed and cannot be delivered in person or by messenger services to the JM Northern Media offices.

Entry packages MUST include:

• One copy of the book
• A copy of your official entry form or a reasonable facsimile
• The entry fee or receipt for online payment
• Any press/marketing materials you wish to send. Marketing is used as a tie-breaking consideration by our judges.

Entries should be mailed to:

JM Northern Media LLC
attn: San Francisco Book Festival
7095 Hollywood Boulevard
Suite 864
Hollywood, CA 90028-0893
Phone: 323-665-8080

AWARDS: The San Francisco Book Festival selection committee reserves the right to determine the eligibility of any project.

The 2012 San Francisco Book Festival is part of the JM Northern Media family of festivals, which include the DIY Convention: Do It Yourself in Film, Music & Books, New York Book Festival and Hollywood Book Festival. The San Francisco Book Festival is sponsored by The Larimar St. Croix Writers Colony, The Hollywood Creative Directory; eDivvy, Shopanista and Westside Websites.

Enter the competition here >>

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: SanFranciscoBKFest@sbcglobal.net

For submissions: entries should be mailed to JM Northern Media LLC, attn: San Francisco Book Festival, 7095 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 864, Hollywood, CA 90028-0893

Website: http://www.sanfranciscobookfestival.com/

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2012 Robin Becker Chapbook Prize for Poetry Manuscript by an LGBT Writer (Seven Kitchen Press)

Deadline: 15 April 2012

Submissions are currently open. The annual reading period for this series is March 1 – April 15.

2012-13 GUIDELINES:

SEVEN KITCHENS PRESS announces the 2012 ROBIN BECKER CHAPBOOK PRIZE for an original, unpublished poetry manuscript in English by a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered or Queer writer.

Prize: 50 copies (a $350 value).

Submission deadline: Postmarked between March 1 and April15, 2012.

Eligibility: Open to all L/G/B/T/Q poets writing in English (no translations, please).

Please note: Two manuscripts will be selected as co-winners: one by a writer with no previous book or chapbook, and one by a writer with previous book or chapbook publication.

Please read the guidelines carefully; the complete guidelines are posted on the Seven Kitchens site and we are not responsible for other versions of the guidelines that may be posted, in whole or in part, elsewhere.

COMPLETE GUIDELINES:

Any poet who identifies as L/G/B/T/Q is eligible to submit to the Robin Becker Chapbook Prize.

• The manuscript itself need not address L/G/B/T/Q themes, though such work is welcome.
• The final judge for this year’s series will be announced here on this page.
• Submit a paginated manuscript of 16-24 pages (plus front matter such as table of contents, acknowledgments, or notes).
• Include two cover pages: one with the manuscript title, author name, address, e-mail and phone number; the second cover page should have the manuscript title only.
• Include a table of contents page, if appropriate.
• The collection may contain a series of poems or one single chapbook-length poem.
• Include, if applicable, an acknowledgments page for work previously published.
• Please include, on a separate page, a brief (100-150 words) biographical note, including a statement of any previous book or chapbook publication.

The author’s name must not appear in the manuscript.

• Collaborative works are accepted. Should a winning manuscript be collaboratively written, the author copies will be shared equally.
• All manuscripts will be blind judged, meaning all identifying material will be separated from the manuscripts as they are logged in.
• Manuscript titles and their log numbers will be posted on the Seven Kitchens website [http:// sevenkitchenspress dot com] as they are processed.

This year’s judge is Elena Georgiou.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us promptly by email if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

• Submissions must be posted between March 1 and April15, 2012.
• The winning manuscripts will be announced on or before September 15, 2012 and will be published in early 2013.
• Manuscript finalists will also be announced, and may be eligible for publication by Seven Kitchens Press.

Manuscripts will not be returned. E-mailed submission is preferred, but you may send via regular mail.

• If sending by mail, do not staple or bind your manuscript; please use a binder clip and mail flat in an 8.5 x 11 envelope. Please do not use expedited delivery services; your postmark date is sufficient to ensure your entry qualification, and we will allow 7-10 days for receipt of all mailed entries after April 15. Use First-Class Mail and consider spending the money you’ve saved on a chapbook from a small, independent press! Mail your manuscript to: Seven Kitchens Press, Robin Becker Chapbook Prize, PO Box 668, Lewisburg PA 17837.
• If you are sending by e-mail, please send one document in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx files); you must include the words “Robin Becker Chapbook” in the subject line of your e-mail to get past our spam filter. Send to sevenkitchens at yahoo dot com.
• Include a $12 reading fee with each manuscript (multiple submissions are welcome). IMPORTANT: Checks should be made payable to Ron Mohring. Online payment may be made via PayPal to seven kitchens at yahoo dot com. It is okay to send the ms. via e-mail and the check separately by regular mail.
• Each entrant will receive one copy of either winning chapbook (entrant’s choice of which title), to be published in early 2013.
• Each co-winner will receive fifty (50) copies of her or his chapbook. Additionally, the publisher will distribute ten review copies and will solicit online reviews of each title.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: sevenkitchens@yahoo.com

For submissions: sevenkitchens@yahoo.com

Website: http://sevenkitchenspress.com/

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Call for Nominations: 2012 Rainbow Book Awards

Deadline: 15 September 2012

ELIGIBILITY

- The book must be published between September 2011 and August 2012 (both months included).

- Self-published books are eligible (print on demand publishers, like Lulu.com and Smashwords, are included in the "self-published" umbrella).

- Ebook editions of previously published print books are not eligible. First time print book editions of previously published ebooks are eligible. A book that has been republished by a different publisher after its initial publication is not eligible. A book that was previously self-published by the author, and then republished by a publisher after its initial publication is eligible.

SUBMISSION PROCESS

- Books submitted for consideration will be accepted between March 1 and September 15, 2012. Winners will be announced in December.

- A book can be submitted only by its author or by its publisher. Submit a book in the category most appropriate: please indicate Gender (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual/Transgender) and Genre (Coming of Age / Young Adult, Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Romance (sweet), Erotica, Alternative Reality (Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Sci-Fi, Futuristic), Historical, Mystery / Thriller, Non Fiction, Debut Novel/Book).

- The commission can include some books at their own expenses, if they are eligible, especially in those categories with not enough submissions.

- Books are submitted in electronic version (PDFs); exceptions will be considered (please contact me). Submitting the ebook, authors/publishers agree for its distribution with the only purpose of being read by the commission (from 3 to 5 judges). It's recommended but not mandatory, that the PDF file has some kind of protection, like a specific disclaimer or similar.

- No submission fees required.

- Books (PDF format) have to be sent to the following address: elisa(dot)rolle(at)libero(dot)it

CATEGORIES

- A book can be submitted in only one category. Debut Fiction is the only category allowing a "double" submission, in its own specific category, plus the Debut Fiction one.

- If a category receives fewer than five (5) submissions, the category will not be active in this awards cycle. The submitted books will be reassigned to another category if appropriate.

- Gender Category: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual/Transgender

- Genre Category: Coming of Age / Young Adult, Contemporary, Erotic Romance, Romance (sweet), Erotica, Alternative Reality (Fantasy, Paranormal, Horror, Sci-Fi, Futuristic), Historical, Mystery / Thriller, Non Fiction

- Special Category: Debut Fiction. First time print book edition of previously published authors only in ebook is Debut Fiction. A book that was previously self-published by the author, and then republished by a publisher after its initial publication is Debut Fiction. Debut Fiction is considered the first book in print or ebook of more of 41.000 words published as standalone.

- Length Category: Novel of more than 41,000 Words. Novellas and Short Stories will be considered only on the following conditions: Novellas (between 18,000 and 41,000 Words) only in Collection of 2 or more collected together; Short Stories (<18,000 Words) only in Collection of 4 or more collected together. A single submission has to be of more than 41.000 Words. Exception will be considered if a single category will have not enough submissions.

JURY

- Judges will start to read books in March; reading period will finish in November (included).

- Each judge will read a minimum of 5 books. Authors/Publishers/Editors will not read books in categories where a their own book is submitted.

- Each book will be judge using 4 different criteria: Plot Development, Setting Development, Characters Development and Writing Style. From 1 to 10 points for each criteria.

- Judges will receive only the ebooks they have to read. (PDF files) - Judges will have to indicate what categories they are not comfortable to read.

- To be a judge, please contact me; Authors/Publishers/Editors/Reviewers/Readers are welcomed, if I don't know you (you are not in my friends list, we are not on the same groups,...), please provide an introduction and some sort of reference for being eligible to judge a LGBT themed book.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: elisa(dot)rolle(at)libero(dot)it

For submissions: elisa(dot)rolle(at)libero(dot)it

Website: http://elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/

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Call for Entries: The Polari First Book Prize 2012 (UK)

The Polari First Book Prize is named after ‘London’s peerless gay literary salon’ Polari, founded in 2007.

The Prize is for a first book which explores the queer experience and is open to any work of poetry, prose, fiction or non-fiction by a writer born or resident in the UK, published in English within the past twelve months.

Self-published works in both print and digital formats are eligible for submission.

Works must be submitted to The Polari First Book Prize by the publisher.

In the case of self-published works, works must be submitted with a one-page/A4 size letter of support describing why and how the project has been self-published.

The winner of the 2011 Polari First Book Prize was James Maker, for his memoir 'Autofellatio' (BIGFib), which began life as an e-book.

This year’s Prize is for books published between Feb 1, 2011 and Feb 1, 2012.

Submissions will be accepted after that date, provided books meet the criteria.

The long list (up to 12 titles) will be announced at the 2012 London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre in July.

The short list (up to 5 titles) will be announced at the end of September.

The winner will be announced in November at Polari's 5th birthday.

This year's judges are;

• Paul Burston, author, journalist, host of Polari and founder of the Prize;
• Rachel Holmes, Head of Literature and Spoken Word at the Southbank Centre;
• Suzi Feay, literary critic, broadcaster and associate editor at The Financial Times;
• Joe Storey-Scott, books buyer at Prowler and;
• Bidisha - Guardian journalist and broadcaster

For more info on submissions, email paulburston@btinternet.com, with ‘Polari First Book Prize’ in the subject field.


CONTACT INFORMATION:

For inquiries: paulburston@btinternet.com

For submissions: paulburston@btinternet.com

Website: http://www.paulburston.com

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2011 Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry (on issues of sexuality and race)

Deadline: 15 August 2011

The Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry will be awarded to a poet that demonstrates the power of spoken word to address issues of class, sexuality and race in a way that transcends rhetoric and creates movement.

The winner will receive $300, and the winning poem will be published at My Feet Only Walk Forward (www.myfeetonlywalkforward.blogspot.com). Two honorable mentions will also be named.

The winner of the 2010 Carey Prize was Saymoukda Vongsay, who has also generously volunteered to make a donation in support of this year's prize.

About the Prize:

Alfred C. Carey was a hard working man from Northern Minnesota. He worked in construction, specifically roofing, while raising a family of 8, including three children not biologically his own. He represented a series of beautiful and sometimes hard contradictions in race, class, and history. He also, without a vocabulary around race and sexuality, accepted all of his children and grandchildren for who they were without judgment. This award is named in the honor of my grandfather who died in 1997.

Rules:

You may submit up to three poems no longer than a combined total of six pages double spaced.

You may also submit audio recordings in CD format. The recordings should not exceed 9 minutes in length.

Along with your submission please include a cover page that states your: Name, Address, Telephone Number, Email Address, Website Address, and a brief biography of no more than 6 sentences.

ALL SUBMISSIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY AUGUST 15, 2011. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AUGUST 31, 2011.

Authors retain all copyright to their works, and if you would like samples returned, please include a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Make submissions to:

Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry
c/o Brandon Lacy Campos
462 W. 52nd Street #3N
New York, NY 10019

Contact Information:

For inquiries:

For submissions: Alfred C. Carey Prize in Spoken Word Poetry, c/o Brandon Lacy Campos
462 W. 52nd Street #3N, New York, NY 10019

Website: http://myfeetonlywalkforward.blogspot.com

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Now Open to Submissions: Lambda Literary Mid-Career Novelist Prize 2012

Deadline: 1 February 2012

Mid-Career Novelist Prize

The Outstanding Mid-Career Novelists’ Prize will be presented annually at the Lambda Literary Awards ceremony. The award, made possible by James Duggins, PhD, consists of two cash prizes of $5000.

Download Application >>

1. The award will be presented to one self-identified man and one self-identified woman, and age will not be a factor in defining mid-career.

2. The award will recognize emergent LGBT authors who have written and published at least three novels or two novels and substantial additional literary work such as poetry, short stories, essays.

3. The authors will be of demonstrated ability and show promise for growth.

4. Candidates’ contributions to the LGBT literary field beyond their writings and publications will also be considered.
Application

* Please keep in mind that the prize is intended for writers who are mid-career or emergent. This is not a prize for lifetime achievement.

* Individuals may nominate themselves or other writers.

* Submissions are closed for 2011. For 2012, all materials must be postmarked by February 1, 2012.

Please include the following materials in the nomination:

* How has the nominee contributed to the field of LGBT literature? (1500 word maximum)

* List the nominee’s major published works, which must include at least three novels or two novels and substantial additional literary work such as poetry, short stories, essays.

* Anything else you want to add supporting this candidate? (500 word maximum)

Optional

* Letters of recommendation for the candidate may be e-mailed to Lambda Literary Foundation to support the candidate’s nomination. The letters must come directly from the person making the recommendation. E-mail letters to midcareerprize@lambdaliterary.org

For the 2012 Prize, all materials must be postmarked by February 1, 2012 and mailed to:

Lambda Literary Foundation
Mid-Career Novelists’ Prize
5482 Wilshire Blvd, #1595
Los Angeles, CA 90036

If you have any questions, please direct them to Executive Director, Tony Valenzuela at info@lambdaliterary.org.

Contact Information:

For inquiries: info@lambdaliterary.org

For submissions: midcareerprize@lambdaliterary.org

Website: http://www.lambdaliterary.org

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The Gatewood Prize for a Collection of Poems by a Woman/ Trans

Deadline: 1 June 2011

The Gatewood Prize is Switchback Books' annual competition for a first or second full-length (48-80 pp.) collection of poems by a woman writing in the English language. It is named after Emma Gatewood, the first woman to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail.

2011 Judge: Harryette Mullen

Reading Period: April 1-June 1, 2011

Harryette Mullen's most recent books are Recyclopedia (Graywolf Press, 2006) and Sleeping with the Dictionary (University of California Press, 2002), a finalist for the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Mullen was the 2009 recipient of the Academy of American Poets' Fellowship Award. She teaches African American literature and creative writing in the English Department at the University of California, Los Angeles.

General Terms:

Poet must be a woman; our definition of "woman" is broad and includes transsexual, transgender, genderqueer, and female-identified individuals.

Multiple submissions are acceptable, but each manuscript must be entered under separate cover and fee.

You must let us know immediately if your manuscript is accepted by another publisher while under our consideration.

No revisions to submitted manuscripts will be considered; the winning manuscript may be revised before publication.

Translations ineligible.

Manuscripts by close friends and former students of the judge are ineligible. If the judge would recognize your manuscript for any reason, please wait until next year to enter the contest.

Co-written collections are eligible provided both poets meet all eligibility requirements.

Submissions will be read by Switchback editors and staff members. We will select ten manuscripts to send on to the judge, who will choose the final winner.

Manuscripts remain anonymous until a winner is selected. Please remove any identifying references from your manuscript (including those in the body of the manuscript).

Entries that do not meet these terms may be disqualified. Please email becca [at] switchbackbooks [dot] com with any questions.

Manuscript Requirements:

Manuscripts should be between 48 and 80 pages, paginated.

Please include a cover page with ONLY the title of the manuscript.

Table of contents recommended.

No acknowledgments page.

Notification: You will be notified of the winner and finalists of the contest via email.

Entry Fee:

Option 1: $18 for reading fee only

Option 2: $25 for reading fee and a book of your choice from our catalog (a 50% discount). Please specify which book on the Submishmash form; if you don't specify, we'll send you a random book.

All payments will be accepted via Submishmash. We do not accept cash, checks, or money orders.

Submission Format:

Please visit our page at Submishmash to submit your manuscript:

http://switchbackbooks.submishmash.com/submit

Deadline: Manuscripts will be accepted through 11:59 p.m. on June 1, 2011.

Submit here.

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Finalists for the 23rd Lambda Literary Awards Announced

Awards Date: 26 May 2011

The Lambda Literary Foundation nurtures, celebrates, and preserves LGBT literature through programs that honor excellence, promote visibility and encourage development of emerging writers. The Lambda Literary Awards are the most prestigious, competitive, and comprehensive awards offered to LGBT books and authors. It is based principally on the LGBT content, the sexual orientation of the author and the literary merit of the work.

BISEXUAL — Fiction

• Fall Asleep Forgetting, by Georgeann Packard The Permanent Press
• If You Follow Me, by Malena Watrous Harper Perennial
• Krakow Melt, by Daniel Allen Cox Arsenal Pulp Press
• The Lunatic, the Lover, and the Poet by Myrlin A. Hermes Harper Perennial
• Pride/Prejudice: A Novel of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth Bennet, and Their Forbidden Lovers by Ann Herendeen Harper Paperbacks

BISEXUAL — Nonfiction

• Border Sexualities, Border Families in Schools, by Maria Pallotta-Chiarolli Rowman & Littlefield
• Dear John, I Love Jane: Women Write about Leaving Men for Women, edited by Candace Walsh and Laura Andre Seal Press
• Just Kids, by Patti Smith Ecco
• Mad World: Evelyn Waugh and the Secrets of Brideshead, by Paula Byrne HarperCollins/It Books
• Sal Mineo, by Michael Gregg Michaud Crown Archetype

TRANSGENDER — Fiction

• Glamazonia: The Uncanny Super Tranny, by Justin Hall with Diego Gomez, Fred Noland & Jon Macy Northwest Press
• Holding Still for As Long As Possible, by Zoe Whittall House of Anansi Press
• Jumpstart the World, by Catherine Ryan Hyde Random House Children’s Books

TRANSGENDER — Nonfiction

• Assume Nothing, by Rebecca Swan Soft Skull Press
• Balancing on the Mechitza: Transgender in Jewish Community, edited by Noach Dzmura North Atlantic Books
• The Color of Sunlight, by Michelle Alexander and Michelle Diane Rose CreateSpace
• Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation, edited by Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman Seal Press
• Just One of the Guys?: Transgender Men and the Persistence of Gender Inequality, by Kristen Schilt University of Chicago Press

LGBT ANTHOLOGY

• Best Lesbian Romance 2010, edited by Radclyffe Cleis Press
• Gay Shame, edited by David M. Halperin & Valerie Traub University of Chicago Press
• Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation, edited by Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman Seal Press
• Kicked Out, edited by Sassafras Lowrey Homofactus Press
• War Diaries, edited by Tisa Bryant & Ernest Hardy AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) and the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF)
  

LGBT CHILDREN’S/YOUNG ADULT

• Christian, the Hugging Lion, by Justin Richardson & Peter Parnell, illustrated by Amy June Bates Simon & Schuster
• God Loves Hair, by Vivek Shraya llustrated by Juliana Neufeld Vivek Shraya
• Jumpstart the World, by Catherine Ryan Hyde Random House Books for Children
• Love Drugged, by James Klise Flux
• Wildthorn, by Jane Eagland Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

LGBT DRAMA

• The Brother/Sister Plays, by Tarell Alvin McCraney Theatre Communications Group
• Lydia, by Octavio Solis Samuel French
• Oedipus at Palm Springs: A Five Lesbian Brothers Play, by Maureen Angelos, Dominique Dibbell, Peg Healey, & Lisa Kron Samuel French
• Slipping, by Daniel Talbott Dramatists Play Service
• With Bated Breath, by Bryden MacDonald Talonbooks

LGBT NONFICTION

• Balancing on the Mechitza: Transgender in Jewish Community, edited by Noach Dzmura North Atlantic Books
• Ex-Gay No Way: Survival and Recovery from Sexual Abuse, by Jallen Rix EdD. Findhorn Press
• Inseparable: Desire Between Women in Literature, by Emma Donoghue Alfred A. Knopf
  
• King Kong Theory, by Virginie Despentes The Feminist Press
• The Right to Be Out: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in America’s Public Schools, by Stuart Biegel University of Minnesota Press

LGBT SF/FANTASY/HORROR

• Diana Comet and Other Improbable Stories, by Sandra McDonald Lethe Press
• Disturbed by Her Song, by Tanith Lee Lethe Press [Interview]
• Flowers of Edo, by Nene Adams Black Car Publishing
• Wilde Stories 2010: The Year’s Best Gay Speculative Fiction, edited by Steve Berman Lethe Press
• Wolfsbane Winter, by Jane Fletcher Bold Strokes Books

LGBT STUDIES

• Another Country: Queer Anti-Urbanism, by Scott Herring New York University Press
• Assuming a Body: Transgender and Rhetorics of Materiality, by Gayle Salamon Columbia University Press
• Backward Glances: Contemporary Chinese Cultures and the Female Homoerotic Imaginary, by Fran Martin Duke University Press
• Citizen Invert Queer: Lesbianism and War in Early Twentieth-Century Britain, by Deborah Cohler University of Minnesota Press
• Queering the Public Sphere in Mexico and Brazil: Sexual Rights Movements in Emerging Democracies, Rafael de la Dehesa Duke University Press

LESBIAN DEBUT FICTION

• Alcestis, by Katharine Beutner Soho Press
• Fall Asleep Forgetting, by Georgeann Packard The Permanent Press
• The More I Owe You, by Michael Sledge Counterpoint Press
• One More Stop, by Lois Walden Arcadia Books
• Sub Rosa, by Amber Dawn Arsenal Pulp Press

LESBIAN EROTICA

• Best Lesbian Erotica 2011, edited by Kathleen Warnock & selected by Lea DeLaria Cleis Press
• Sometimes She Lets Me: Best Butch/Femme Erotica, edited by Tristan Taormina Cleis Press
• This Is How We Do It: A Raw Mix of Lesbian Erotica, by D Alexandria RedThorn Art

LESBIAN FICTION

• Big Bang Symphony, by Lucy Jane Bledsoe University of Wisconsin Press
• Fifth Born II: The Hundredth Turtle, by Zelda Lockhart LaVenson Press
• Holding Still for as Long as Possible, by Zoe Whittall House of Anansi
• Homeschooling, by Carol Guess PS Publishing
• Inferno (a poet’s novel), by Eileen Myles OR Books

LESBIAN MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

• Blood Strangers: A Memoir, by Katherine A. Briccetti Heyday Books
• Hammer!: Making Movies Out of Sex and Life, by Barbara Hammer The Feminist Press
• Like Me: Confessions of a Heartland Country Singer, by Chely Wright Pantheon Books
• She Looks Just Like You: A Memoir of (Nonbiological Lesbian) Motherhood by Amie Klempnauer Miller Beacon Press
• Wishbone: A Memoir in Fractures, by Julie Marie Wade Colgate University Press

LESBIAN MYSTERY

• The Cruel Ever After, by Ellen Hart Minotaur/St. Martin’s Press
• Fever of the Bone, by Val McDermid HarperCollins
• Missing Lynx, by Kim Baldwin & Xenia Alexiou Bold Strokes Books
• Parallel Lies, by Stella Duffy Bywater Books
• Water Mark, by J.M. Redmann Bold Strokes Books

LESBIAN POETRY

• The Inquisition Yours, by Jen Currin Coach House Books
• Money for Sunsets, by Elizabeth J. Colen Steel Toe Books
• The Nights Also, by Anna Swanson Tightrope Books
• The Sensual World Re-Emerges, by Eleanor Lerman Sarabande Books
• White Shirt, by Laurie MacFayden Frontenac House

LESBIAN ROMANCE

• Above Temptation, by Karin Kallmaker Bella Books
• Awakening to Sunlight, by Lindsey Stone Bold Strokes Books
• Beacon of Love, by Ann Roberts Bella Books
• River Walker, by Cate Culpepper, Bold Strokes Books
• Starting from Scratch, by Georgia Beers Brisk Press

GAY DEBUT FICTION

• Bob the Book, by David Pratt Chelsea Station Editions
• The Palisades, by Tom Schabarum Cascadia Publishing
• Passes Through, by Rob Stephenson University of Alabama Press/FC
• Probation, by Tom Mendicino Kensington Publishing
• XOXO Hayden, by Chris Corkum P.D. Publishing

GAY EROTICA

• Best of the Best Gay Erotica 3, edited by Richard Labonté Cleis Press
• Teleny and Camille, by Jon Macy Northwest Press
• Tented: Gay Erotic Tales from Under the Big Top, edited by Jerry Wheeler Lethe Press
• A Twist of Grimm: Erotic Fairy Tales for Gay Men, by William Holden Lethe Press
• Vancouver Nights, by Hank Edwards Lethe Press

GAY FICTION

• By Nightfall, by Michael Cunningham Farrar, Straus & Giroux
• Children of the Sun, by Max Schaefer Soft Skull
• Consolation, by Jonathan Strong Pressed Wafer
• The Silver Hearted, by David McConnell Alyson Books
• Union Atlantic, by Adam Haslett Doubleday

GAY MEMOIR/BIOGRAPHY

• Beyond Normal: The Birth of Gay Pride, by Gale Chester Whittington BookLocker.com
• Grant Wood: A Life, by R. Tripp Evans Alfred A. Knopf
• Secret Historian: The Life and Times of Samuel Steward, Professor, Tattoo Artist and Sexual Renegade, by Justin Spring Farrar, Straus & Giroux [Review | Interview]
• The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham, by Selina Hastings Random House
• She Ain’t Heavy, She’s My Mother, by Bryan Batt Harmony Books

GAY MYSTERY

• Cockeyed, by Richard Stevenson MLR Press
• Echoes, by David Lennon Blue Spike Publishing
• Rubber Baby Buggy Bumpers, by I.E. Woodward iUniverse
• Smoked, by Garry Ryan NeWest Press
• Vieux Carre Voodoo, by Greg Herren Bold Strokes Books

GAY POETRY

• darkacre, by Greg Hewett Coffee House Press
• Other Flowers: Uncollected Poems, by James Schuyler Farrar, Straus & Giroux
• Pleasure, by Brian Teare Ahsahta Press
• The Salt Ecstasies: Poems, by James L. White Graywolf Press
• then, we were still living, by Michael Klein GenPop Books

GAY ROMANCE

• Normal Miguel, by Erik Orrantia Cheyenne Publishing
• The Road Home, by Michael Thomas Ford Kensington Publishing
• Three Wrong Turns in the Desert, by Neil Plakcy Loose Id
• Awards ceremony will be on Thursday, May 26, 2011 at the School of Visual Arts Theater in New York City.

More information here.

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Call for LGBT Publications/ Creative Projects: 2012 Allan Bérubé Prize

Deadline: 31 December 2011

The Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History, an affiliate society of the American Historical Association, has established the Allan Bérubé Prize to recognize outstanding work in public or community-based lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer history. While books or essays written for a broad audience are eligible for consideration, we are looking in particular to recognize other types of historical work, including—but not limited to:

* websites, blogs, podcasts, and other online media
* documentary film and video
* archival and oral history projects
* museum and other curated public exhibitions and installations
* walking tours
* radio programming
* organizational/program development efforts whose primary audiences are not academic specialists.

Scholarly publications that politically intervene in the relationship between academic and public/community-based history may also be considered. While academically affiliated scholars may apply based on public or community-oriented projects, individuals with a history of independent or community-based work will be given priority and are especially encouraged to apply.

The 2012 Bérubé Prize, which is underwritten by the GLBT Historical Society (San Francisco, Calif.), will recognize excellence in work completed in the previous two calendar years (2010 and 2011). Projects by individuals, groups, community organizations, or other organizations may be nominated. Individuals or organizational entities responsible for the project should nominate themselves.

Nominations and supporting materials should specifically address three criteria:

1. the creativity and/or originality of the approach;
2. the quality of historical research and interpretation resulting from the use of material culture, oral history, or any other type of historical evidence; and,
3. the social, cultural, civic, and/or intellectual impact of the project.

Procedures and Submission Requirements

1. Nominations should be submitted in the form of a project abstract (not to exceed 250 words) and a written narrative (not to exceed 1,500 words). The narrative should clearly address the three criteria, and, identify the project’s intended audiences.

2. Nominations for projects such as DVDs, videos, CDs, etc. should include copies of the production, submitted with the written narrative and other materials. Other types of nominated projects should include documentation appropriate to the form of historical work involved, e.g., exhibition guides/catalogs, walking tour maps, and photographs of installations. For online projects, the submitted materials should clearly identify the URLs for committee members to read/listen to the historical materials.

3. Nominations should include pertinent supporting documents, such as a copy of the nominee’s resume or curriculum vitae if available. If the nominee is an organization or institution, information on its governance, mission, and size should also be provided. Formal reviews from newspapers, magazines, professional journals, or other evidence of public feedback is encouraged but not required.

4. A total of four copies of all submission materials are required. Send one set of application materials to each of the four following Prize Committee members:

Kevin P. Murphy (Prize Committee Chair)
University of Minnesota
Department of History
1047 Heller Hall
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Marcia Gallo
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Department of History
4505 S Maryland Pkwy
Box 455020
Las Vegas NV 89154-5020

Lauren Jae Gutterman
Center for Lesbian and Gay Studies
The Graduate Center, CUNY
365 Fifth Avenue rm. 7115
New York, NY 10016

Joey Plaster
GLBT Historical Society
657 Mission St. No. 300
San Francisco, CA 94105

Submissions must be postmarked by 31 December 2011.

If you have questions about the prize, please contact the Prize Committee Chair, Kevin P. Murphy, at kpmurphy@umn.edu.

More information here.

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2012 Lorde and Sprague Prizes for LGBT Articles/ Papers

Deadline: 31 December 2011

The Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender History, an affiliate society of the American Historical Association, will award the Audre Lorde and Gregory Sprague Prizes in 2012:

* The Gregory Sprague Prize recognizes an outstanding published or unpublished paper, article, book chapter, or dissertation chapter on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, and/or queer history completed in English by a graduate student. It is awarded in even-numbered years, covering work completed during the previous two years. The Sprague Prize is funded by the Gerber/Hart Library in Chicago.

* The Audre Lorde Prize recognizes an outstanding article on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, transsexual, and/or queer history published in English. It is awarded in even-numbered years, for articles published during the previous two years.

Papers and chapters written and articles published in 2010 or 2011 are eligible. Materials may be submitted by students, faculty, authors, readers, or publishers. Self-nominations are encouraged. Published articles by graduate students may be submitted for both the Lorde and Sprague Prizes. Please label whether the submission is for the Sprague Prize, the Lorde Prize, or both.

The 2012 Lorde/Sprague Prize Committee is chaired by Thomas A. Foster (DePaul University). Claire Potter (Wesleyan University) and Julio Capó, Jr. (Florida International University) comprise the remaining members of the committee.

Please send both one electronic copy and one print copy of your submission to:

Thomas A. Foster
Department of History, SAC 420
2320 North Kenmore Ave.
DePaul University
Chicago, IL 60614
tfoster4@depaul.edu

Mailed submissions must be postmarked by 31 December 2011; Electronic submissions must include be sent by 11:59pm, Central U.S. Standard Time.

If you have questions about the prizes, please contact the Committee on LGBT History Chair, Ian Lekus, at lekus@fas.harvard.edu.

More information here.

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2011 Rainbow Project Book List Announced

The Rainbow Project is a joint project of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered Round Table and the Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association. The Rainbow Project presents an annual bibliography of quality books with significant and authentic GLBTQ content, which are recommended for people from birth through eighteen years of age.

The 2011 Rainbow Project Committee announced in January the 2011 Rainbow List (below) created during the 2011 Midwinter Meeting at San Diego, California. These titles reflect signifigant gay/lesbian/bisexual/trans-gendered/queer-questioning (glbtq) experience for young people from birth to age 18. Titles marked with a * are a Top Ten Title for the 2011 List.

*Agell, Charlotte. The Accidental Adventures of India McAllister. 2010. 160p. Henry Holt & Co. (9780805089028). Gr 5-8

Beale, Elaine. Another Life Altogether. 2010. 416p. Spiegel & Grau. (978-0385530040). Gr 9+

Bergman, S. Bear. The Nearest Exit May Be Behind You. 2009. Arsenal Pulp Press. (978-1551522647). Gr. 10+

Boyd, Maria. Will. 2010. 304p. Knopf Books for Young Readers. (978-0375862090). GR 9-12

Cohn, Rachel. Very LeFreak. 2010. 320p. Knopf Books for Young Readers. (978-0375857584). Gr 9+

Cruse, Howard. Stuck Rubber Baby. 2010. 224p. DC Comics. (978-1401227135). Gr 10+

de Rossi, Portia. Unbearable Lightness. 2010. 320p. Atria. (978-1439177785). Gr 9+

Diaz, Alexandra. Of All The Stupid Things. 2009. 272p. EgmontUSA. (978-1606840344). Gr 10+

Diersch, Sandra. Out. 2010. 136p. Lorimer. (978-1552774229). Gr 9+

* Eagland, Jane. Wildthorn. 2010. 352p. Houghton Mifflin Books for Children. (978-0547370170). Gr 9+

Fakhrid-Deen, Tina with COLAGE. Let’s Get this Straight: The Ultimate Handbook for Youth with LGBTQ Parents. 2010. 208p. Seal Press. (978-1580053334). Gr 6+

* Green, John and David Levithan. Will Grayson, Will Grayson. 2010. 304p. Dutton Juvenile. (978-0525421580). Gr 9+

Hodel, Page. Monday Hearts for Madalene. 2010. 112p. Stewart, Tabori & Chang. (978-1584797784). Gr 7-12

* Horner, Emily. A Love Story Starring My Dead Best Friend. 2010. 272p. Dial. (978-0803734203). Gr 9+

Hyde, Catherine Ryan. Jumpstart the World. 2010. 192p. Knopf Books for Young Readers. (978-0375866654). Gr 9+

* Ignatow, Amy. The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang. 2010. 208p. Amulet Books. (978-0810984219). Gr 6-8

* Kemp, Anna. Dogs Don’t Do Ballet. 2010. 32p. Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing. (978-1416998396). Pre-K -2

Klise, James. Love Drugged. 2010. 312p. Flux. (978-0738721750). Gr 10+

* Lowrey, Sassafras. Kicked Out. 2010. 224p. Homofactus Press. (978-0978597368). Gr 9+

Lurie, April. The Less Dead. 2010. 240p. Delacorte Books for Young Readers. (978-0385736756). Gr 9+

Martin, Ricky. Me. 2010. 304p. Celebra Hardcover. (978-0451234155). Gr 9+

* McCaughrean, Geraldine. The Death-Defying Pepper Roux. 2010. 336p. HarperCollins. (978-0061836657). Gr. 5-8

Rainfield, Cheryl. Scars. 2010. 250p. Westside Books. (978-1934813324). Gr 9+

Rucka, Greg. Art by J.H. Williams III; color by Dave Stewart; letters by Todd Klein. Batwoman: Elegy. 2010. 192p. DC Comics. (978-1401226923). Gr 10+

* Sheng, Jeff. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. 2010. 40p. Jeff Sheng Studios. (978-0984447411). Gr 9+

Shrya, Vivek. God Loves Hair. Self-published, 2010. 90p. (978-0986551208). 10+

Skeers, Linda. Tutus Aren’t My Style. 2010. 32p. Dial. (978-0803732124). Gr 1-2

Soehnlein, K.M. Robin and Ruby. 2010. 288p. Kensington Publishing Corporation. (978-0758232182). Gr 10+

Stuart, Sebastian. The Hour Between. 2010. 260p. Alyson Books. (978-1593501266).

* Various Authors. The Gallup’s Modern Guide to Gay, Lesbian & Transgender Life (Series, 15 titles). 2010. Mason Crest Publishers. Gr 7+

Wilson, Jacqueline. Kiss. 2010. 256p. Roaring Book Press. (978-1596432420). Gr 6-9

More information here.

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The Robin Becker Chapbook Prize for LGBTQ Poets (Seven Kitchen Press)

Deadline: 15 April 2011

The annual submission period is March 1 – April 15.

Current (2011-12) guidelines:

SEVEN KITCHENS PRESS announces the 2011 ROBIN BECKER CHAPBOOK PRIZE for an original, unpublished poetry manuscript in English by a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered or Queer writer.

Prize: 50 copies (a $350 value).

Submission deadline: Postmarked between March 1 and May 15 of each year.

Eligibility: Open to all L/G/B/T/Q poets writing in English (no translations, please).

Please note: Two manuscripts will be selected as co-winners: one by a writer with no previous book or chapbook, and one by a writer with previous book or chapbook publication.

Please read the guidelines carefully; the complete guidelines are posted on the Seven Kitchens site and we are not responsible for other versions of the guidelines that may be posted, in whole or in part, elsewhere.

COMPLETE GUIDELINES:

Any poet who identifies as L/G/B/T/Q is eligible to submit to the Robin Becker Chapbook Prize.

* The manuscript itself need not address L/G/B/T/Q themes, though such work is welcome.
* The final judge for this year’s series is Judith Barrington.

Submit a paginated manuscript of 16-24 pages (plus front matter such as table of contents, acknowledgments, or notes).

* Include two cover pages: one with the manuscript title, author name, address, e-mail and phone number; the second cover page should have the manuscript title only.
* Include a table of contents page, if appropriate.
* The collection may contain a series of poems or one single chapbook-length poem.
* Include, if applicable, an acknowledgments page for work previously published.
* Please include, on a separate page, a brief (100-150 words) biographical note, including a statement of any previous book or chapbook publication.

The author’s name must not appear in the manuscript.

* Collaborative works are accepted. Should a winning manuscript be collaboratively written, the author copies will be shared equally.
* All manuscripts will be blind judged, meaning all identifying material will be separated from the manuscripts as they are logged in.
* Manuscript titles and their log numbers will be posted on the Seven Kitchens website [http:// sevenkitchenspress dot wordpress dot com] as they are processed.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please notify us promptly by email if your manuscript is accepted elsewhere.

* Submissions must be posted between March 1 and May 15, 2011.
* The winning manuscripts will be announced on or before August 15, 2011 and will be published in early 2012.
* Manuscript finalists will also be announced, and may be eligible for publication by Seven Kitchens Press.

Manuscripts will not be returned. E-mailed submission is preferred, but you may send via regular mail.

* If sending by mail, do not staple or bind your manuscript; please use a binder clip and mail flat in an 8.5 x 11 envelope. Please do not use expedited delivery services; your postmark date is sufficient to ensure your entry qualification, and we will allow 7-10 days for receipt of all mailed entries after May 15. Use First-Class Mail and consider spending the money you’ve saved on a chapbook from a small, independent press! Mail your manuscript to: Seven Kitchens Press, Robin Becker Chapbook Prize, PO Box 668, Lewisburg PA 17837.
* If you are sending by e-mail, please send one document in Microsoft Word format (.doc or .docx files); you must include the words “Robin Becker Chapbook” in the subject line of your e-mail to get past our spam filter. Send to sevenkitchens at yahoo dot com.
* Include a $12 reading fee with each manuscript (multiple submissions are welcome). IMPORTANT: Checks should be made payable to Ron Mohring. Online payment may be made via PayPal to seven kitchens at yahoo dot com. It is okay to send the ms. via e-mail and the check separately by regular mail.
* Each entrant will receive one copy of either winning chapbook (entrant’s choice of which title), to be published in early 2012.
* Each co-winner will receive fifty (50) copies of her or his chapbook. Additionally, the publisher will distribute ten review copies and will solicit online reviews of each title.

ABOUT THE JUDGE: Judith Barrington is the author of three poetry collections, a prizewinning memoir, and a text on writing literary memoir. The poetry books are: Horses and the Human Soul, History and Geography, and Trying to be an Honest Woman. She has also recorded a CD of selected poems titled Harvest. Prose books are: Lifesaving: A Memoir (winner of the Lambda Book Award and finalist for the PEN/Martha Albrand Award for the Art of the Memoir), and Writing the Memoir: From Truth to Art which is used in numerous writing programs. Most recently, she has published two poetry chapbooks: Postcard from the Bottom of the Sea (8th Mountain Press) and Lost Lands (selected by Robin Becker as winner of the inaugural Robin Becker Chapbook Prize).

ABOUT THE SERIES:

This chapbook series honors Robin Becker, whose continuing accomplishments as a poet, professor, and mentor of lesbian and gay writers deserve wider acclaim. Becker serves as poetry editor for the Women’s Review of Books and is a professor of English and Women’s Studies at Pennsylvania State University. She is the author of six collections of poems, including Giacometti’s Dog (1990), All-American Girl (1996), The Horse Fair (2000), and Domain of Perfect Affection (2006), all from the University of Pittsburgh Press, and of the chapbook Venetian Blue (Frick Art & Historical Center, 2002).

More information here.

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UNESCO/Guillermo Cano $25,000 World Press Freedom Prize 2011

Deadline: 15 February 2011

UNESCO invites Member States, regional and international organizations, professional and non-governmental organizations working in the field of journalism and freedom of expression to nominate candidates for the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2011.

The purpose of the Prize, supported by the Guillermo Cano Foundation, the Nicholas B. Ottaway Foundation and JP/Politiken Newspapers LTD, is to honour a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk.

The prize is intended to reward journalists who have shown dedication in the name of freedom of expression and information and to afford them the international recognition they deserve. Awarded annually, the Prize is marked by a ceremony and the winner is presented with the sum of US$25,000.

The 2011 Prize will be awarded during the World Press Freedom Day conference, which will take place in May.

How to submit your nomination

Nominations for the Prize should be submitted by filling out the form in English>> or French>> and sending it before 15 February 2011 by normal mail or by email to:

UNESCO
Division for Freedom of Expression, Democracy and Peace
1, rue Miollis
75732 Paris cedex 15
France
Tel: 33.1.45.68.42.12
Fax: 33.1.45.68.55.84

E-mail: s.coudray(at)unesco.org

More information here.

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Sarah Weddington Writing Prize: Realizing Reproductive Rights in Real Lives

Deadline: 1 March 2011

Law Students for Reproductive Justice (LSRJ) and the Center for Reproductive Rights (CRR) Law School Initiative are now accepting submissions for the sixth annual Sarah Weddington Writing Prize. The theme this year is “Beyond the Books: Realizing Reproductive Rights in Real Lives.”

LSRJ & CRR are seeking fresh student scholarship that focuses on a particular community’s unique struggle for reproductive justice. Examples of communities disproportionately affected by reproductive oppression include ethnic, religious, or cultural minorities; people of color; women in developing or war-torn countries; adolescents; low-income women; survivors of domestic violence; prisoners; LGBTQ individuals; and undocumented immigrants. Example topics include: legal and non-legal barriers to health care access (e.g., impact of the Hyde and Helms Amendments on poor women in the U.S. and abroad); surviving pregnancy and childbirth (e.g., racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality); denial of reproductive healthcare services on the basis of conscience (e.g., repercussions in rural communities with only one hospital or pharmacy); cruel, unusual, or degrading treatment in reproductive healthcare delivery (e.g., shackling of incarcerated women during pregnancy, labor, and delivery); reproductive health effects of exposure to pollution and toxins (e.g., farm/factory workers and residents of low-income neighborhoods); and the intersection of HIV/AIDS and intimate partner violence (e.g., barriers to justice for communities with problematic relationships to governmental authorities).

We encourage writing that amplifies lesser heard voices, applies an intersectional, reproductive justice lens to legal thinking, offers anti-essentialist analysis, and/or suggests innovative solutions that take into account the practical realities and the lived experiences of the people affected by various forms of subordination and reproductive oppression.

Papers may be domestic or international in scope and may draw on human rights treaties, international legal norms, comparative law, U.S. constitutional case law, and/or statutory law and regulation. Authors are asked to apply a reproductive justice lens and/or human rights framework to their analyses of the issues. To learn more about:

Reproductive Justice (RJ):

o What is Reproductive Justice?: www.lsrj.org/documents/What_is_RJ.pdf
o Links to publications about RJ: www.lsrj.org/motivation

Reproductive Rights as Human Rights:

o Human Rights Law Primer: www.lsrj.org/resources/#humanrightslawprimer
o CRR publication: Repro Rights are Human Rights: http://reproductiverights.org/sites/crr.civicactions.net/files/documents/RRareHR_final.pdf

Previous winning submissions: www.lsrj.org/awards/#writingprize

Papers must be at least 20 pages in length (not including footnotes), double-spaced in 12-point font with footnotes in 10-point font. Papers must conform to Bluebook citation format. Only original scholarship by law students or law graduates of 2010 will be accepted. Papers submitted for publication elsewhere will be accepted; however papers previously published will not be accepted. Winners will be selected by an outside panel of legal academic judges. Send your submission (in Word format as an email attachment) to submissions@lsrj.org by 5:00pm PST on Tuesday, March 1, 2011.

The 1st place winning submission will be published in the NYU Review of Law and Social Change. Winning authors will receive cash prizes: $750 (1st place), $500 (2nd place), or $250 (3rd place) and have the opportunity to be published in the Reproductive Justice Law & Policy SSRN e-journal.

More information here.

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Nominations for the Indie Lit Awards 2010 (LGBTQ Genre) Close on December 15th

Deadline: 15 December 2010

About

The Independent Literary Awards are book awards given by literary bloggers. Lit bloggers write about books and literary related items. They are the fastest growing form of publicity in the literary world, though most are still independently run and do not receive compensation for their reviews or recommendations. All judges and panelists for theses awards are completely independent and do not receive compensation for reviews nor their work on the award board.

The Independent Literary Awards is currently in its inaugural year and will be presenting the winners for the 2010 calendar year in February of 2011. The genres that will be represented and receiving awards for 2010 are:

• GLBTQ
• Literary Fiction
• Mystery
• Non-Fiction
• Speculative Fiction

(In the future we hope to grow the list of genres represented.)

The process of the Awards:

1. Titles are collected via nominations by literary bloggers in each of the categories.
2. Nominated titles will be tallied and the top 5 nominated titles from each category will be placed on a Long List.
3. Long List titles will be read and voted on by the panel and the judges of each category.
4. The top 2 titles from the Long List will be placed on a Short List.
5. The winners from each category will be chosen by the judge and panel of each category from the Short List titles.

GLBTQ

If you have a book that you would like to nominate for the 2010 GLBTQ Entry List, you may add it below in the comment section.

In order to nominate please refer to the following:

* You must be a literary blogger; and a link to your blog must be provided so we can verify this. (You may not be the author, publisher, or publicist of the book you are nominating).
* Books nominated must have a 2010 release date.
* You may nominate a book that has already been listed (the books with the most nominations will be what we add to the Long List).
* You may nominate books in more than one genre, but only one per genre.
* Nominations close December 15, 2010.

More information here.

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Lambda Literary Foundation to Present Mid-career Novelist Award

Deadline: 1 March 2011

Lambda Literary is pleased to announce that it will be the new home of the largest monetary prize awarded exclusively to an LGBT writer: The Outstanding Mid-Career Novelists’ Prize. The award, made possible by James Duggins, PhD, consists of two cash awards of five thousand dollars and is unprecedented in its category as well as its value.

Previously presented at the Saints and Sinners annual writers conference in New Orleans, The Outstanding Mid-Career Novelists’ Prize will now be featured at the annual Lambda Literary Awards beginning in 2011. It will be awarded in perpetuity under the auspices of Dr. Duggins’s donor-advised fund at Horizons Foundation.

Lambda Literary’s Board of Trustees is in the process of forming a panel of Grant Advisors to choose candidates according to the following criteria established by Dr. Duggins:

* The award will be presented to one self-identified man and one self-identified woman, and age will not be a factor in defining mid-career.
* The award will recognize emergent LGBT authors who have written and published at least three novels or two novels and a substantial additional literary work such as poetry, short stories, essays.
* The authors will be of demonstrated ability and show promise for growth.
* Candidates’ contributions to the LGBT literary field beyond their writings and publications will also be considered.

The Grant Advisors for the award will be distinguished members of the writing community with knowledge of LGBT literature, and will recommend recipients for the awards for approval from the Board of Trustees.

Lambda Literary Foundation is proud and honored to be the home of this generous and career-enhancing award.

***

A U.S. Navy Journalist in the Pacific (Korean War), Jim studied with James Michener and Bill Lederer. He graduated from San Francisco State, and received his PhD from UC Berkeley. He taught English and Speech at high school and community college, and retired as a professor from San Francisco State. He is co-author of Hooked on Books (Berkley Books), compiled Teaching Reading for Human Values (Charles Merrill), and has written many articles for academic journals (The English Journal, The Journal of Reading, Wilson Library Journal,); his memoir “A Rock and a Hard Place” appeared in Love, Castro Street: Reflections of San Francisco (Alyson Press, 2007). He now writes fiction full time and his love of history has produced the historical novels The Power: A Novel of Voodoo, the forthcoming sequel, Slave Stealer, and he is at work on two more. He divides his time between the desert in southern California and his house in Mexico where he collects Mexican Folk Art and is a regular contributor to museums around the United States.

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The Lambda Literary Foundation nurtures, celebrates, and preserves LGBT literature through programs that honor excellence, promote visibility and encourage development of emerging writers. LLF’s programs include: the Lambda Literary Awards, the Writers’ Retreat for Emerging LGBT Voices, and our comprehensive website, www.LambdaLiterary.org. For more information call (213) 568-3570.

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Guidelines for Polari First Book Prize

Deadline: 1 February 2011

From So So Gay:

Polari, London’s popular monthly queer cultural cafe event, has launched a book prize for new authors and is seeking submissions for its first award in 2011.

The judges will announce a long list at the 2011 London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre in July and a short list published at the end of September 2011. The winner will be announced in November at Polari’s 4th birthday.

Judges for The Polari First Book Prize compeition are Paul Burston, author and host of Polari, Rachel Holmes of the Southbank Centre, Joe Storey Scott of Prowler, Suzi Feay, Associate Editor at the Financial Times and Fiona McMorrough of Fiona McMorrough Associates.

The deadline for submissions is 1 Feb 2011, and books must have been published in the 12 month period preceding that date. Submissions must be made by the UK publisher, or if self-published sent with a one page letter stating how and why the book was published that way.

Submissions should be made to judge Paul Burston, paulburston@timeout.com or by post c/o Time Out London, Universal House 251 Tottenham Court Road, London W1P 0AB.

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