2018 Details and Deadlines

Award Categories:

  • Adult Fiction
  • Adult Non-Fiction
  • Young Adult (for ages 13+)
  • Young Readers (for ages 7 – 12)
  • Picture Book
  • Eating the West: Regional Cookbook/Culinary Writing

Publication date for eligible titles:
January 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018

Nomination period: September 1, 2018 – December 31, 2018

Nomination Form: Click Here to Nominate a Title(s)

Payment:
Nomination fee is $150 per title. Publishers and authors must pay when submitting a title for consideration. Other nominations will be accepted when approved by a publisher.

Publishers must also commit to providing reading copies for the appropriate award selection committee members (4 to 8 copies depending on the category).

Shortlist Announced: March 15, 2019

Voting: March 15 – April 12, 2019

Winners Announced: April 15, 2019

Reading the West Book Awards Presentation & Celebration: Friday, May 3, Viridian Event Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Nominate Your Books

More Information:

  • Nominations:
    • Accepted via on-line form, September 1 – December 31, 2018
    • MPIBA member booksellers, publishers, sales reps, authors, and industry professionals may make nominations.
  • Publisher participation for a nominated title:
    • When a book is nominated by someone other than a publisher or author, the publisher will be notified. They can then choose to pay the $150 nomination fee to have the title added to the long-list.
    • Publishers must also commit to providing reading copies for the appropriate award selection committee members (4 to 8 copies depending on the category).
  • Selection Process:
    • A long-list of nominated titles will be promoted on our website in January.
    • Each Reading the West Book Award committee will read and curate the long-list titles to create a shortlist of five titles per award category.
    • The shortlists will be announced in April, and voting will begin with promotion to bookstores and booksellers.
  • Judging criteria
    • Spirit of place: Does the author understand our region emotionally as well as geographically? Is the book’s portrayal of the region reliable? Does the book contribute to the reader’s understanding of the region?
    • Inspiring: Does the book capture the indefinable quality that inspires MPIBA booksellers to help a title get the attention it deserves?
    • Quality: Is the book is of a high artistic quality and/or extremely well-written?
  • Publicity and promotions:
    • Long-list titles promoted on MPIBA website with links in e-newsletters and social media.
    • National Media Release for shortlist announcement.
    • E-newsletter and extensive social media outreach for shortlist announcement and opening of membership voting.
    • National Media Release for announcement of winners.
    • E-newsletter and extensive social media outreach for announcement of winners.
    • Downloadable fliers, bookmarks, shelf-talkers, and signage provided to MPIBA member bookstores for promoting the Reading the West program and titles.
    • Digital assets for e-newsletters, websites, and social media provided to MPIBA members for promoting the program and titles.
  • Celebrating our winners:
    • The six Reading the West Book Awards winners will be invited to a special Awards Presentation & Celebration at the 2019 Fall Discovery Show in Denver, CO, in October 2019.
    • Winners will receive a complimentary night stay at the conference hotel.

Submit your nominations NOW for the

Reading the West Book Awards!