CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY BOOK AWARD
ABOUT THE CONTENT
The California Historical Society and Heyday have established the California Historical Society Book Award for a book-length manuscript that makes an important contribution to scholarship and deepens public understanding of some aspect of California history. The annual prize carries a $5,000 advance and publication in both print and e-book format by CHS/Heyday, with an awards ceremony, ample promotion, and an author tour throughout the state.
The work must adhere to high scholarly standards, and must be lively and engaging to general readers as well. In addition to conventional works of historical scholarship, other genres will be considered such as biographies, collections of letters or essays, photographic or artistic studies, creative nonfiction, or other ways of informing the mind and engaging the imagination in an understanding of California’s past.
ELIGIBILITY
- Authors with manuscripts in progress or finished manuscripts are welcome to apply.
- Manuscripts, when finished, should be at least 40,000 words. While open to other possibilities, preference will be given to manuscripts of fewer than 75,000 words.
- The topic should be broad enough to be of interest to readers throughout the state.
HOW TO APPLY
Applications are due every July 1. Please send the following material to editor@heydaybooks.com in a single PDF:
- A cover letter introducing yourself and your qualifications.
- A brief description of your project.
- An annotated table of contents.
- A statement as to the need or desirability of photographs, maps, or other graphics with examples.
- If the manuscript is not yet completed, a statement that describes what has been done and a schedule for what still needs to be finished.
- A sample chapter (double-spaced, standard font and font size).
Potential candidates may be contacted for additional information. The winner will be announced on September 15. Publication will be approximately one year after a fully completed manuscript and all graphics are accepted.
For more information, contact editor@heydaybooks.com. No phone calls, please.
