Nominations for the 2023 NEMBA Awards are now closed. We will be publishing the list of Nominees soon.
For purposes of the Awards, northeastern Minnesota is defined to include the following counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and Saint Louis.
The Categories
Prizes are currently awarded in six categories:
- Nonfiction: nonfiction works such as history, biography, guidebooks, cookbooks, books about science and nature, scholarly works, and art/photography books.
- Fiction: novels, short stories, plays, and other works of narrative fiction.
- Children’s Literature: picture books and beginning readers, generally for ages 0-7.
- Middle Grade/Young Adult: chapter books and books for a teen audience, generally for ages 8-18.
- Poetry: collections of poetry or a single poem of book length.
- Memoir: books that examine some aspect of the world from a highly personal perspective.
Reading Teams will choose a winner and honorable mention in each category. If a book is nominated in more than one area, the NEMBA committee will determine the category for the entry.
PLEASE NOTE: Three or more nominated titles are required in a single category to designate a winner and honorable mention in that category. In categories with only two nominated titles a winner will be chosen but an honorable mention will not be awarded. If only one book is nominated, the NEMBA committee may move the book to another category as appropriate. If the title is retained as a single nominee in its original category, no award will be presented in that category.
All information received from the nomination form is advisory to the NEMBA committee. The final decision for category placement, retention or removal from the competition will be made by the NEMBA committee, in consultation with the Reading Teams as necessary.
Eligibility Requirements for 2023 NEMBA
The subject matter of the nominated books MUST substantially represent northeastern Minnesota in the areas of history, culture, heritage, and lifestyle. For the purpose of the awards, northeastern Minnesota includes the following counties: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Pine, and Saint Louis.
Nominated books must have 2022 original release date. Books with a 2021 copyright that were not released until 2022 may be nominated for the 2023 NEMBA awards . A written explanation for why a book with a 2021 copyright is eligible must be submitted along with the nomination form.
Nominated books must have been written in English and published in bound paper format.
The following are NOT eligible:
- E-books
- Reprints of books originally published in a previous year.
- Previously published books unless at least 50% of the content is new – documentation will be required.
- Exhibition catalogs
Entry Requirements
For 2023 we have chosen to implement an online nomination process.
There are 3 steps to Nominate a Book:
- Complete the online Nomination Form, which is available here.
- A $40 NON-REFUNDABLE entry fee is required for each nominated title. Use the button below to pay with PayPal or by credit card.
- Mail FOUR copies of each nominated book to the address below. The books are non-returnable.
NEMBA
1626 London Road #895
Duluth, MN 55812
Note: Your nomination is not final until all three steps have been completed.
Questions about this nomination process? Email us at NEMBA@lakesuperiorwriters.org
Deadline for Entry: May 31, 2023
Prizes
The winning book in each category will receive a cash prize of $200. The winning book and the honorable mention in each category will receive a glass plaque and 100 book seals.
Lake Superior Writers 