2023 Housatonic Book Awards Entry Guidelines

 The 2023 Housatonic Book Awards will be granted to full-length books published in 2022.

 Housatonic Award for Fiction 

Granted to a book of short or long fiction published in 2022. The award includes all forms of fiction, both literary and genre (mystery, fantasy, science fiction, thriller, etc.) as well as Young Adult and Middle Grade books. The award carries a $1,000 honorarium in exchange for appearing at the January or August residency (the first week of the month) of the MFA in Creative and Professional Writing at Western Connecticut State University to give a public reading and a one-day, three-hour workshop with MFA students. The award also includes a $500 travel stipend and hotel stay during the residency. To enter:

$25 entry fee plus processing fee.  No checks will be accepted.

Submit an electronic copy (.pdf) of the book below in the registration area. 

 The deadline is June 13, 2023.

 Click Here to view past winners.

 Housatonic Award for Poetry

Granted to a book of poetry of at least 40 pages published in 2022. The award carries a $1,000 honorarium in exchange for appearing at the August or January residency (the first week of the month) of the MFA in Creative and Professional Writing at Western Connecticut State University to give a public reading and a one-day, three-hour workshop with MFA students. The award also includes a $500 travel stipend and hotel stay during the residency. To enter:

$25 entry fee plus processing fee.  No checks will be accepted. 

Submit an electronic copy (.pdf) of the book below in the registration area.

 The deadline is June 13, 2023.

 Click Here to view past winners.

 Housatonic Award for Nonfiction 

Granted to a nonfiction book published in 2022 (including all subgenres—memoir, creative nonfiction, investigative and other varieties of journalism, travel, political, science, business communications, public relations, self-help, etc.). The award carries a $1,000 honorarium in exchange for appearing at the January or August residency (the first week of the month) of the MFA in Creative and Professional Writing at Western Connecticut State University to give a public reading and a one-day, three-hour workshop with MFA students. The award also includes a $500 travel stipend and hotel stay during the residency. To enter:

$25 entry fee plus processing fee.  No checks will be accepted. 

Submit an electronic copy (.pdf) of the book below in the registration area.

 Deadline is June 13, 2023.

 Click Here to view past winners.