The Presbyterian Writers Guild (PWG) is accepting nominations for its two major awards: the 2014 David Steele Distinguished Writer Award and the Best First Book Award, formerly the Jim Angell Award.
Both awards are given biennially. They will be presented June 19, 2014, during the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Detroit.
Previous winners of the David Steele Distinguished Writer Award ― given for a lifetime of writing achievement ― include The Christian Century editor/publisher John M. Buchanan, The Message author Eugene H. Peterson, former Presbyterian News Service director Marj Carpenter, former Presbyterians Today editor Eva Stimson, novelists Doris Betts and Katherine Paterson, poet Ann Weems, Kansas City Star columnist Bill Tammeus, African-American religious historian Gayraud Wilmore, essayists Kathleen Norris and Frederick Buechner, and journalists Gustav Niebuhr and the late Vic Jameson.
The award is named for R. David Steele, a Presbyterian pastor best known for his whimsical books of poetry and thought-provoking column, "Tuesday Morning," in The Presbyterian Outlook.
Nominations for the award should include the writer's PC(USA) affiliation, a list of published work, and a 100-word essay describing why the nominee is deserving of the award. Contact information for both the nominator and the nominee should be included.
Send nominations to Emily Enders Odom by email; by fax to (336) 299-5304, or by mail to 308 N. Chapman St., Greensboro, NC 27403.
Deadline for nominations is January 15, 2014.
The First Book Award has been presented since 1996 to the Presbyterian author of the best first book published during the previous calendar year.
Nominations are being accepted now for the best first book by a Presbyterian author published during the calendar years of 2012-2013. Books may be of any type: fiction, nonfiction, theological, how-to, photos with commentary, poetry, etc.
The award was established by the Guild and the estate of the late James W. Angell, a prolific and respected Presbyterian writer, as a means to recognize and encourage new writers. It is now sponsored by the Guild and the Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
Entries may be submitted by the authors or by others on their behalf. Three copies of the book and a brief statement attesting to the author's current active membership in a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) congregation or presbytery should be sent to the First Book Award Committee, c/o Jane Hines, P.O. Box 50832, Nashville, TN, 37205.
Deadline for submissions is April 1, 2014.
The book needs to be the author's first book, and has to have a publication date in 2012 or 2013. Include an email address if the sender wishes to be notified that the books were received. The three copies of the book cannot be returned.
Questions about the award or entry process may be directed to Guild President John Underwood or Jane Hines.
Previous Angell Award winners are listed at the PWG website.