The Boston Authors Club has been awarding the Julia Ward Howe Prizes, (named after the Club's first President) to outstanding adult and young reader books for over twenty years. These awards recognize exceptional books by Boston area authors in four separate categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and the Young Reader (including both YR and books for younger readers) category.
Publishers with 2024 titles meeting the BAC Awards criteria are encouraged to submit their books to be considered for Julia Ward Howe prizes. To enter the competition, publishers must submit two copies of each eligible title, a valid email for award notification, and a fee of $35 dollars per title. Checks should be made out to the Boston Authors Club or funds may be submitted electronically at the bottom of this page.
Even if you think it is clear from the title or description of the book, please be sure to let us know in which of the four categories the submission should be considered.
It is also important to include a contact on the entry form. We need to have a way to be in touch with winners and authors of books named notable books of the year in each category. The contact can be for the author, publicist, agent or publisher – but we need you to include one.
The submission deadline for qualified books published in 2024 is January 31, 2025.
Please send your books and checks to:
Boston Authors Club, Attn. Julie Dobrow
103 Conant Road
Lincoln, MA, 01773
Criteria for the Julia Ward Howe award include:
The book must be published in print format in 2024
Authors must live or work within 100 miles of Boston during the year their books are published.
The following works are not eligible: Edited books, textbooks, and reference books, self-published and digital-only books.
Authors of the winning titles in each category will be honored at the annual Julia Ward Howe Awards event in the Fall of 2025. Winners will receive a prize of $500 dollars, along with a one-year complimentary membership in the Boston Authors Club, coverage in the BAC newsletter, invitations to book talks and signings and publicity through our social media channels.
Additional outstanding books and authors in each category may be designated as Notable Books and celebrated at the Awards program. Authors of notable books do not receive monetary prizes, but they are honored at the Awards event and receive publicity and invitations to book talks sponsored by the Boston Authors Club.
***PLEASE NOTE THAT IF YOU ARE SUBMITTING MULTIPLE TITLES, LET US KNOW FOR WHICH BOOKS YOU HAVE SUBMITTED FEES. IF FEES ARE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE WEBSITE, PLEASE BE SURE TO LET US KNOW THE TITLE OF THE BOOK THAT SHOULD BE PAIRED WITH THE FEE(S).
***For more information, contact us at: bostonauthorsclub2@gmail.com
