Established in 2006 and now the most comprehensive state book awards program in the nation, the contest recognizes and celebrates the year’s best books penned by full-time residents of the Sunshine State (with the exception of submissions to the Florida Nonfiction and Visual Arts categories, whose authors may live elsewhere.)

The contest categories include General Fiction, Young Adult Literature, Children’s Literature, Florida Nonfiction, Poetry, Popular Fiction, Visual Arts, Spanish-Language Book, and a new category for General Nonfiction. Entries, which can be submitted by anyone (e.g. publisher, author, or literary agent), must have both an original publication date between Jan. 1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2012 and an International Standard Book Number (ISBN).

Although all entries must be received no later than 5:00 p.m., Thursday, December 1, 2012 (this is not a postmark deadline), applicants are encouraged to submit their books into competition any time after the competition is launched, and as soon as possible after books are officially published. Three-person juries –– including members of co-sponsoring organizations, subject experts from the faculties of Florida colleges and universities, and previous Florida Book Award winners –– will choose up to three finalists in each of nine categories. In each category, the jury may award one Gold, Silver, and Bronze medal.

The Florida Book Awards competition is coordinated through the Florida State University Libraries, with the support of book lovers from across the state.

Co-sponsors of the competition include humanities organizations from across the state such as the Florida Center for the Book; State Library and Archives of Florida; Florida Historical Society; Florida Humanities Council; Florida Literary Arts Coalition; Florida Library Association; Florida Association for Media in Education; Florida Center for Literature and Theatre; Florida Chapter of the Mystery
Writers of America; Friends of FSU Libraries; Florida Writers Association; Governor's Family Literacy Initiative; and “Just Read, Florida!”

The 2012 winners will be announced in early February. Gold Medal Award winners will be acknowledged in March 2013, at the Historic and Cultural Awards Ceremony sponsored by the State of Florida’s Division of Cultural Affairs. Winning books and their authors will be showcased in the summer issue of FORUM, the statewide magazine of the Florida Humanities Council, and will be featured at book festivals and association conferences and on The Florida Channel throughout the year. In addition, copies of all award-winning books will be put on permanent public displays, one in the Governor’s Mansion Library and one in Florida State University’s Strozier Library.

For general information and the entry form, requirements, and more detailed instructions for the 2012 Florida Book Awards, visit http://floridabookawards.lib.fsu.edu.