Can you believe we are already 11 days into December! While navigating the holiday crowds, parties and end of the year work don’t forget December 15th. Here at WNBA that’s a pretty big day this month. December 15th is Deadline Day for both the Pannell Award and WNBA National Writing Contest.
Pannell Award
The Pannell Award is bestowed on the bookstore that “enhances their communities by bringing exceptional creativity to foster a love of reading in their young patrons.” WNBA has been awarding deserving bookstores since 1983 and it’s “one of the most prestigious honors in children’s bookselling.”
Every year two winners are selected by a panel of publishing professionals — one award for a general bookstore and one for a children’s specialty bookstore. Nominations can come from customers, sales reps, store personnel or anyone who has been impressed with the work of a particular independent bookstore.
You can nominate a store by sending an e-mail to PannellAward@gmail.com and include the following information:
- Name, email address, and phone number of person making the nomination
- That person’s connection to the nominated store (such as customer, owner, employee, publisher)
- A brief statement outlining the reasons that store is being nominated
- Contact info for the owner/manager of the nominated store
The submission of nominations is due by December 15, 2013. Once the nominations have been tallied a press release will be issued listing the nominees. However, the work is not done yet. Each nominee will put together an electronic submission with a description of activities, goals, or any contribution to the local community that involves young people and books. Photos, media coverage, letters from customers, or anything else that transmits the degree of contribution can be included in the submission.
Once the Pannell Award jurors make their decision each of the two winners will receive a $1,000 check and a framed signed original piece of art by a children’s illustrator during a presentation at the BEA/ABA Children’s Book and Author Breakfast, which draws more than 1,000 attendees.
WNBA National Writing Contest
In 2012 WNBA launched an annual writing contest to celebrate emerging writers. Now in its second year WNBA is expecting even more submissions.
Here are the guidelines:
- Unpublished work only
- Must be 18 years of age or older to enter
- Short fiction only; 2500 word limit
- No memoir or novel excerpts
- 3-5 pages of poetry; 35 lines per page
- Acceptable formats include RTF (Rich Text Format), Word 2007, 2003 or earlier versions, PDF
- You may submit more than once, but each entry must be submitted and paid for separately
Each entry is $15 for members and $20 for non-members.
Upload your work here! (Be sure to upload entries WITHOUT identifying information! There is a separate form for that.)
For more information, and to learn more about this year’s judges and last year’s winners, visit //www.wnba-books.org/contest. If you have any questions email joan@joangelfand.com.
The winner will get a $250 cash prize and publication in the Bookwoman, the official publication of the Women’s National Book Association with 10 chapters nationwide. Proceeds from the contest help support scholarships for writing conferences and other professional development training.
