How to Submit

2023 Competition Rules (for Books Published in 2022)

The Midland Authors Awards recognize book writing excellence by Midwestern authors. Three judges on each committee will select one winner that is best in that category. Category winners receive $500 and a recognition award. Judges may also deem up to three honorees as worthy of recognition. Each honoree will receive a commemorative award. All honors are given out at the awards banquet on May 9, 2023, or a substitute ceremony, if required by pandemic mandates. 

Follow the directions below to submit a book and pay the entry fee.

  • To enter this year’s competition, fill out the online entry form for each nominated book. Print three copies of the entry form. A printed entry form must also accompany each book sent to each of the three judges in its category. That means a total of three printed forms per title (three judges, three forms, three books) in addition to the online form. Books unaccompanied by completed entry forms will not be considered.
  • Each book entry must have a 2022 publication date that corresponds with its copyright date.
  • A book may be nominated by its author or publisher. The author must either reside in, be born in, or have strong ties to one of the 12 Midland states SMA represents: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin. If the author lives outside these states, please indicate any connection to the Midwest on the “comments” section of the entry form.
  • Each submission requires an entry fee of $25. The online form allows payment by PayPal or credit card.
  • To pay by a mail service, send a check and a printed copy of the entry form to Society of Midland Authors, P.O. Box 10419, Chicago, IL 60610. If you pay by check or money order, be sure to write the author’s name on the face of the check or money order so SMA can confirm the paid entry. A copy of the entry form should also accompany each book that you mail to each of the three judges in your category. (Do not mail books to the Society’s P.O. Box.) For your convenience, a printable PDF of the submission form is available here.
  • We do not consider e-book originals unless accompanied by a print edition.
  • Books by deceased authors are eligible, providing that at least one of the authors meets the residency protocol and other requirements.
  • A book may be entered in only one category, not several categories.
  • Submissions must be postmarked by Tuesday, January 31, 2023. We urge early submissions.  Send entries to the appropriate judges under your category of Contest Judges listed below.
  • Make sure your book entry goes to judges in the proper category. (For example, all children’s books go to children’s categories, rather than Poetry or Biography and Memoir, which are for adult submissions only.) Books submitted to improper categories will be disqualified.  Any judge who has a conflict of interest with a submission will be recused from discussion of that entry.
  • For comments, questions, or to confirm an entry has reached the judges, contact Gerry Plecki at [email protected]

SEND 1 COPY OF THE BOOK AND ONE ENTRY FORM TO EACH OF THE 3 JUDGES IN THE BOOK’S CATEGORY.

Judges:

History

John Holden, 1254 W. Elmdale Ave., Chicago, IL 60660

Joseph Gustaitis, 1824 West Erie St., Chicago, IL 60622

Dominic Pacyga, 10123 S. Wood St., Chicago, IL 60643

 

Bernard J. Brommel Award for Biography and Memoir

Bob Remer, 5840 N. Kenmore, Chicago, IL 60660

Steve Paul, 6400 Cherry St., Kansas City, MO 64131

 Sarah Vogel, 1203 N. 2nd St. Bismarck, ND, 58501 until Dec. 1; then PO Box 1223, Hanalei, HI 96714 until Jan. 31.

 

Adult Fiction

Andrew Graff, 34 E. Chillicothe St., Cedarville, OH 45314

Kate McIntyre, WPI Humanities and Arts, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609

Christina Clancy, 2809 Columbia Rd., Madison, WI 53705

 

Richard Frisbie Award for Adult Nonfiction

Greg Borzo, 520 S. State Street, Unit 1009, Chicago 60605

Marlene Targ Brill, 314 Lawndale, Wilmette, IL 60091

Kim Todd, 5116 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55419

 

Poetry

Tara Betts, 5414 S. Ingleside Ave., Apt. 1, Chicago, IL 60615

Simone Muench, 1508 W. Erie Street #3, Chicago IL 60642

Jackie White, 3815 Hackberry Street, Wellington, CO 80549

 

Children’s Fiction

Laura Hirshfield, 3318 Noyes Street, Evanston, IL 60201

Kelly J. Baptist, 9279 4th Street, Berrien Springs, MI  49103

Sandy Renner, 420 Summit Ave., Suite 401, St. Paul, MN 55102

 

Children’s Reading Round Table Award for Children’s Nonfiction

 Laurie Lawlor, 2103 Noyes St., Evanston I L 60201

Marianne Malone, 714 St. Georges Road, Philadelphia, PA 19119

Suzanne Slade, 605 Dawes Street, Libertyville IL 60048 until Dec. 20; then 64 Peninsula Drive, Stratham NH 03885 until Jan. 31