There are two Coffin Awards: one for fiction and one for nonfiction. (since 2022)
J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Book Award for Fiction

and

J. Donald & Bertha Coffin Memorial Book Award for Nonfiction
Deadline to Enter: June 15, 2023
The J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award was established by Mrs. Bertha Coffin to honor the memory of her husband, a long-time member and officer of KAC, after his death on September 6, 1978. An award of $100.00 will be given each year to a KAC member according to the rules printed below. The J. Donald Coffin Award is intended to honor the best published book written by a member of Kansas Authors Club, excluding Kansas history, Kansas memoir, poetry, and children’s books, which have their own contests. Beginning in 2022, this contest provides two awards, one in fiction and one in nonfiction.
 
If it is the decision of the judge that none of the entries merit acknowledgment, no prize will be awarded.


Coffin Award winning books are donated to the Council Grove Public Library.
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Click here for the Kansas Authors Club Book Award submission form. Please submit a copy of this form with your entry.
Guidelines for Submission:

  1. The contest is open to any Kansas Authors Club member.
  2. The book must be a minimum of 50 pages in length. 
  3. The entry must have been published, issued in print, and available for public distribution within the two years prior to June 1, 2023. 
  4. Books submitted may be in any category in good taste, except as noted above. (For Kansas history and Kansas memoir, see Martin Kansas History Book Award. For poetry, see Nelson Poetry Book Award. For books for children, see KAC Children’s Book Award).
  5. No entry fee is required. 
  6. Two copies of the winning book will be donated. One to the KAC shelves at the Spencer Research Library at KU in Lawrence. The second to the Bertha Coffin collection at the Council Grove Public Library. 
  7. The winner will be notified by September 1, in order to allow time for banquet reservations. 
  8. The award will be presented to the winner at the annual gathering in October. The winner will be notified of details in advance. If the winner is unable to attend, the award will be mailed.
  9. Non-winners’ books will be available for pickup at the convention. 
  10. Mail two copies of your book and your completed form by June 15, 2023, to:
 
Coffin Memorial Book Award
c/o Anne Spry
2720 SW 93rd
Wakarusa, KS 66546

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