Hi Writers,
Here's the press release for a prestigious award for a debut author. This is open to books published in 2007 (self-pub books not eligible):

Go here for more info: The Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award

Entry Requirements, Deadlines and Application

PEN New England is now accepting submissions for the Hemingway Foundation/PEN Award for books published in 2007. The award of $8,000 is presented for a novel or book of short stories by an American author who has not previously published a book of fiction. The prize was won last year by Ben Fountain, BRIEF ENCOUNTERS WITH CHE GUEVARA. Two finalists and two runners-up will also be named. The winner also receives a one-week residency in The Distinguished Visiting Writers Series at the University of Idaho’s MFA Program in Creative Writing. In addition, the winner and competition finalists and runners-up receive Ucross Residency Fellowships at the Ucross Foundation in Wyoming, a retreat for artists and writers.

The late Mary Hemingway, a member of PEN, founded the award in 1976 both to honor the memory of her husband, Ernest Hemingway, and to recognize distinguished first books of fiction. The award is funded by the Ernest Hemingway Foundation, which has been administered by the Hemingway Society since 1987, and PEN New England. A panel of three distinguished fiction writers selects the winner. PEN New England is one of five regional branches of PEN American Center, which is in turn part of International PEN, the only worldwide organization of writing professionals.

The award will be presented at the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston on Sunday, March 30, 2008. The ceremony is co-sponsored by the library and The Boston Globe. Previous recipients of the Hemingway/PEN Award include Marilynne Robinson, Bobbie Ann Mason, Josephine Humphreys, Mark Richard, Louis Begley, Edward P. Jones, Susan Power, Ha Jin, Charlotte Bacon, Jhumpa Lahiri, Akhil Sharma, Justin Cronin, Jennifer Haigh, Chris Abani, and Yiyun Li.

Eligible titles, which must be the first published book length work of fiction by an American citizen or resident, published in the United States in 2007, may be submitted by publishers, agents, or the authors themselves. Authors are not disqualified by the previous publication of nonfiction, poetry, drama, or books for children. No self-published books, electronic submissions, or e-books are eligible for consideration.

DEADLINE: December 21, 2007 POSTMARK (Early submissions are encouraged. Galleys are acceptable.)

To Submit Books for the Award, mail four (4) copies, a $40 entry fee* for each title, and the application form to:

THE HEMINGWAY FOUNDATION / PEN AWARD
PEN New England
Lesley University
29 Everett Street
Cambridge, MA 02138

*Exceptions will be made for small press submissions: if your press’s annual net sales do not exceed $4 million, you need not submit the entry fee.

Keep Writing,
Maria