Book Awards
Written in the Northwest is committed to providing enchanting Northwest literature to readers everywhere. In order to help recognize the talent, art, hard work, and passion of crafting exceptional books, we offer the Larch Award for Children’s Books and the Spruce Award for Adult's Books. These awards recognize outstanding work in their respective categories.
Winner of the 2024 Larch Award
Colleen Stone
for writing and illustrating
Bert and Smudge are Brothers
Winner of the 2024 Spruce Award
Paul Micheal Winters
for writing
Together in a Broken World
Short lists Announced!
Written in the NW is so excited and proud to announce our short lists for the Spruce and Larch Awards. While our first reader was impressed by all the entries and struggled to narrow the list down, these were the books that spoke loudly in the author’s own voice, made our first reader think, or kept them up reading even though they had to work the next morning.
In no particular order, our Spruce Award finalists are:
Together in a Broken World by Paul Michael Winters (NineStar Press, 2024)
Till My Last Day (Book Two in the Desert Hills Trilogy) by Deborah Swenson (Nor-Mar Press, 2024)
The Worth of a Ruby by Lya Badgley (Atmosphere Press, 2023)
Lying Down with Dogs by Linda Caradine (Unsolicited Press, 2024)
From the 911 Files by Jackson Anhalt (Rainbow Quartz Publishing, 2023)
Hatched: Dragon Farmer (Book One in the Hatched Series) by Caren Hahn (Seventy-Second Press, 2022)
In no particular order, our Larch Award finalists include:
Bert and Smudge are Brothers by Colleen Stone (Brian Stone, 2023)
Home: A Story of Belonging by N.D. Byma (N.D Byma, 2023)
Princess Naomi Helps a Unicorn by Once Upon a Dance (Once Upon a Dance, 2021)
Just Like Click by Sandy Grubb (Fitzroy Books, 2024)
The Loudest Silence by Sydney Langford (Holiday House, 2024
Blades & Ballet: Enemy of the Wind by Nathan Reese Maher (NRM Books, 2023)
Congratulations to all the finalists!
The winners will be announced at Written in the Northwest Book Fair!
Meet the Judges
Our committee of judges, each bring their unique perspectives and love of literature.
Learn more about the individuals who passionately select the book awards
Raven Oak
Multi-international award-winning speculative fiction author & artist Raven Oak (she/they) is best known for her epic fantasy Amaskan’s Blood (2016 Ozma Fantasy Award Winner & Epic Awards Finalist) & her short story collection Dragon's Springs & Other Things. She enjoys tabletop games, indulging in cartography, and staring at the ocean. Along with the usual social media sites, she can be found at ravenoak.net
Amy Meredith
Amy Meredith is a book and comic book expert with twenty-five years in the industry. She adores Ducks, Deadpool and playing World of Warcraft. She also works as an occasional voice actor..being different people behind the scenes is something in which she excels. Subspace Comics once hid under another name that did its time and passed on to allow the awesomeness of Subspace to arise.
Subspace Comics is located at
3333 184th St SW, Suite G
Lynnwood, WA 98037
Website: https://subspacecomics.com/
Vivian Burrows
Debut Author and Developmental Editor, Vivian Burrows has loved thrillers since she was small. She lives in Idaho where she indulges in gluten-free baking and volunteering at her community gardens.
Rules
Deadline for the 2024 Award has passed. Thank you and good luck to all applicants!
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To be eligible for the NW Spruce Book Award: Books must be published for adult and teens reading audience during the years of 2021-2024. Author must be from Idaho, Oregon, Washington.
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To be eligible for the NW Larch: Books must be published for children's reading audience during the years of 2021-2024. Author must be from Idaho, Oregon, Washington. For picture books with few or no words, Illustrators are eligible.
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Authors must fill Award form below by 6/1/2024 and will receive an email confirmation. Authors must send one hard copy to the address provided in email. Paperbacks are fine, but this is a competition and it should be the author's best work. If an author is named on the short list, they must send four copies of their book to the address given. (If an author cannot fulfill one's obligations, the book will be removed from the contest, and the next ranked book will be added to the short list.)
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Both traditionally and independently published authors are welcome to apply.
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Judging is based on PHYSICAL MEDIA! No Ebooks. No Reprints or Second Editions. We want the book as it was originally published.
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Every Attending Author (except Judges) is welcome enter ONE BOOK without additional cost. Non-Attending authors can apply to enter ONE BOOK for $15. We only accept one book per author.
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Books will be judged on comfort of reading, layout, book art, cover, plot, characters, grammar, vocabulary, stylistic choices and genre appropriateness.
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We do not offer feedback.
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All choices of the judges are final. If an author argues or harasses a Judge or First Reader, they will be disqualified and prohibited to reapply for the award or the Book Fair.
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Winners will be announced at the Book Fair.
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The top score in each category is the winner.
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PRIZE: First Place is a trophy, bragging rights, and a press release written by Elizabeth Guizzetti. All Shortlist Finalists will receive a certificate. There is no cash reward.