A. This book contest began in 1931 at The Commonwealth Club of California to honor literary excellence among legal California-resident authors, academics, and writers at large. The Club grants Gold and Silver Medals in the categories of: Fiction, First Work of Fiction (novels and short story collections), Nonfiction, Poetry, Californiana (a California-themed work), Juvenile Literature (up to age 10), Young Adult Literature (Age 11-16), and Notable Contribution to Publishing (books with either a special design/presentation or layout). For more background, read our History.
FAQ
Q. What are the California Book Awards?
Q. Am I eligible to enter?
A. As long as you fall under the two main submission guidelines:
- You were a legal California resident when your book submission was accepted for publication.
- The book was published in 2012.
NOTE: Books written by multiple authors are not generally accepted. If you would like us to consider a book by multiple authors, please contact us; We do not accept entries that are either self-published or from vanity presses, nor do we accept "print-on demand press" books. Our thought is that any book we review for the awards should be available at a local bookstore and not exclusively accessible through the Internet. Please see our Submission Guidelines.
Q. Okay, I'm eligible. How do I enter my book?
A. You have two options:
- Download an entry form, print it on your home computer, and mail us the completed sheet (address listed in the Contact Us side block)
- Go to our online entry form and submit your book information digitally.
Q. Is there an Entry Fee?
A. There is no entry fee to enter the California Book Awards, but...
Q. Does my Entry Form have to arrive with the review copies?
A. No. If you complete an On-Line Entry Form or if you ship your six (6) review copies from a warehouse or distributor, the paperwork materials may arrive separately. The submission entry is marked complete when we have the books and an entry form (by digital or snail-mail means) at our San Francisco office before the deadline!
Q. When is the final deadline?
A. Friday, December 14, 2012, by midnight.
Q. Who makes up the Awards Jury and when are the winners announced?
A. The Awards Jury is comprised of 12-15 California literary-minded professionals. The specific make-up is subject to change, but we are dedicated to a diverse range of views, backgrounds and literary experience. At The Commonwealth Club of California, we strive to have our Jury represent various cultural and aesthetic backgrounds and have the thorough knowledge of science and history necessary to deliberate the merits of all book entries.
Q. Are winners required to attend the awards ceremony to receive the award?
A. We strongly encourage our winners to attend the ceremony on Thursday, June 6, 2013. We consider this an excellent opportunity for writer and audience to connect, as attendees get the opportunity to hear the author read from the winning work. One can count on the ceremony to be a lively assembly of Bay Area literati, past Medal Winners and Commonwealth Club members. If a winner has a scheduling conflict and cannot attend, we require that he/she send a qualified representative to the ceremony to accept the award and read on the winner’s behalf.
Q. Do you have a list of the winners from previous years?
A. We have a comprehensive list of California Book Awards winners dating back to 1931.
Q. Wait, my question was not addressed. Whom should I contact now?
A. If you have other questions, send an email to bookawards [at] commonwealthclub [dot] org. Please remember to fill-in the subject line.