The Eastern Shore Writers Association announces that it will award a $1000 prize for the best book written by a Delmarva writer in 2015. The award is open to all categories and genre of books including fiction, non-fiction and poetry. Two Honorable Mention Awards will also be cited. Participants must be full-time or seasonal residents of the peninsula.
The organization’s president Gerald Sweeney says, “The Delmarva Book Award has been designed to honor and encourage local authors. That aligns with the mission of the Eastern Shore Writers Association to enhance the quality of writing from the bay to the ocean. The prize should spur new works of art.”
The contest’s judge is a lifetime resident of the Eastern Shore, David Harper Jr. who grew up on a small family farm near Preston, where he is grateful to be raising two children with his wife, Christy. Educated at The University of Richmond and at Washington College, for the past ten years David has taught English literature and composition at Chesapeake College. In addition to directing the Honors Program, he serves as Co-Advisor for The Beacon, a student-published literary magazine that celebrates the artistic expressions of local students. In choosing a winner he will be assisted by a group of readers
Enduring themes in David’s teaching include encouraging students to draw inspiration for writing from Shore life, while also challenging students to engage with divers texts in order to better understand their unique personal histories and perspectives.
“Subject matter will not be limited to works about Delmarva,” Sweeney said. “Our Shore is home to an astonishing array of people and global influences, yet I suspect the winning entry might contain a salty flavor.”
The contest will open on January 1, 2015 and close on November 15. Awards will be made in December of next year, Rules will be posted shortly at www.easternshorewriters.org.
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