Book of the Festival
Awarded to the single title that best combines craft, originality and reader impact across all genres. Judges read the complete book, not an excerpt.
Winner's seal, featured banner placement and a full-season promotion package
Award Winning
Recognition that is earned, read and explained
Six categories, blind first-round reading, a two-reader minimum and a published citation for every shortlisted title. Entry is free for festival participants.
Categories
What we award
Debut Author of the Year
Open to authors whose first published title appeared within the last twenty-four months. Judged on voice, ambition and technical control.
Winner's seal, dedicated interview feature and newsletter headline slot
Storytelling Excellence
Recognises narrative structure — pacing, scene design, and the discipline of ending chapters where they should end.
Winner's seal and a live storytelling masterclass slot
Inspirational Impact Award
For the book that readers said changed something. Reader submissions carry equal weight to judge scores in this category.
Winner's seal and a reader-testimony feature
International Voice Award
Celebrates authors writing outside the dominant markets, in any language, whose work deserves a wider readership.
Winner's seal and a translation-spotlight feature
Cover & Design Award
Judged on cover, interior typography and the honesty of the promise the packaging makes to a reader.
Winner's seal and a design case-study feature
Timeline
The 2026 award calendar
- Entries openJuly 1, 2026Submission form opens to all festival participants and to the public.
- Entries closeAugust 20, 2026Final deadline for files, metadata and author statements.
- First round readingAugust 21 – September 10, 2026Every entry read in full by two independent readers.
- Longlist announcedSeptember 15, 2026Published on the News page and shared with all entrants by email.
- Shortlist announcedSeptember 25, 2026Five titles per category, with judge citations.
- Winners announcedSeptember 30, 2026Live virtual ceremony, streamed and recorded for replay.
Judging
How the process protects the books
Blind first round
Readers receive the manuscript or published file with author name, publisher and country removed. Scores are recorded before any identity is revealed.
Five-point rubric
Craft, structure, originality, emotional truth and finish. Each scored one to ten, with written justification required for any score above eight or below four.
Two-reader minimum
No book advances or is eliminated on a single opinion. Where two readers disagree by more than three points, a third reader is assigned.
Conflict declarations
Judges recuse themselves from any title where they have an editorial, financial or personal relationship with the author or publisher.
Fees buy nothing
Participation fees cover promotion only. They are recorded separately from the award process and are invisible to judges.
Published citations
Every shortlisted and winning title is published with a short judge citation, so the reasoning is public and checkable.
Honour roll
Recognition dates
August 30, 2026
Feature Day One Honour Roll
Titles recognised on the opening feature date for exceptional reader response.
September 15, 2026
Mid-Season Longlist
Longlisted titles across all six categories published with citations.
September 30, 2026
Winners Ceremony
Live virtual ceremony announcing category winners and the Book of the Festival.