Current News from the Kansas Authors Club

"It Looks Like a Million" Book Design Award by the Kansas Authors Club

10/13/2025

Design Award: Adult Category

Title: The Rhino Keeper
Author: Jillian Forsberg, Wichita
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1963452037

“The cover of The Rhino Keeper is visually striking and manages to balance graphics and imagery that are thematically appropriate to the tone, topic, and time-period of the book with current popular aesthetic trends in the industry. The illustrative elements are colorful yet subdued which ensures the title is the most prominent element of the design. On the back cover, the text is clean, elegant, and easy to read with plenty of breathing room to avoid crowding.”
– Rosalie Krenger, Judge

Design Award: Children's Category

Title: Pirate Chickens Under Attackkkk!!!
Author: Ashley Donegan
ISBN: 9798991038713

#ReadLocalKS - Buy Today

“Pirate Chickens Under Attack incorporates charming illustrations and small but effective touches throughout. The font is clean and easy to read and choosing to display the onomatopoeia in red is a simple choice that adds a big impact, helping young readers start to understand the process of differentiating stressed words and sounds. The illustrations are charming, and the addition of small pictures in the corners of the text-focused pages supplements the visual storytelling without being overly distracting.”
– Rosalie Krenger, Judge

Judge Rosalie Krenger is the owner of Well Lit Editing & Design. She has worked in publishing and design for the past decade, including work for several literary journals, a newspaper, a textbook company, several independent publishers and authors, a film festival, and other private clients. She has managed the Donald Reichardt Center for Publishing and Literary Arts and has mentored graphic designers, marketing interns, and writers in the Studio E Advertising Collective.

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Q&A: Book Contest vs. Literary Contests

3/14/2025

The following question came up during our 2nd Tuesday Social. It is an important distinction and we wanted to clarify for new members.

Q: I was waiting to submit my published book to the contest on April 1, and now I see that the "preferred deadline" for submission was March 1. Am I too late to enter?

A: Good question! This is an important change to the 2025 contest guidelines.

First, members need to be aware that there are two sets of contests that Kansas Authors Club sponsors annually.

The first is our Book Awards. We have eight awards for PUBLISHED books. In 2025, eligible books were published between June 1, 2023 and December 31, 2024. We are honoring the June 15 deadline, but as we are introducing the announcement of finalists for this contest, we would prefer to receive your entries ASAP. Click here for Book Awards guidelines. Read the whole thing before entering!

ONLY Kansas Authors Club members are eligible for the Book Awards contests. It is OKAY to join today and submit your book for the competition.

The second set of contests are our Annual Literary Contests with categories for youth and adult writers. These contests are open to all Kansas Authors Club members (regardless of where you live) and to ANY Kansas resident. If you live in the state of Kansas, you do not need to be a member, but adults will have to pay a little more to enter the contest. There is no charge for youth to enter the contests.

Eligible entries for this contest are short, never-before-published pieces of prose and poetry (there are several categories, review the guidelines for specifics).

Submissions for the Literary Contest are always open from April 1 to June 15. Start on this page and take the time to read the guidelines before you submit. Check out the video at the bottom of the page that walks you through the submission process.

Book Awards

Annual Literary Contests - All Ages

Important: Book Awards Guidelines for 2025 Updated

1/10/2025

To all members who have published a book June 1, 2023 to December 31, 2024. Please carefully review our updated consolidated Book Award Guidelines before entering a 2025 book contest. Significant changes have taken place.

Beginning in 2025, we will add an announcement of three finalists per contest category prior to the announcement of the winner at our fall gathering in October. Eligible books, for 2025 alone, will include an expanded window of eligibility that will include books that would have been considered eligible per our previous guidelines. Beginning in 2026, the book awards will be for books with a 1st publication date in the previous year only.

Our goal is to elevate the status of the Kansas Authors Club Book Awards, and to recognize as much fine writing from the state of Kansas as possible with these changes.

Read Now: Consolidated Book Awards Guidelines

Published Book Awards
Eight Categories
Cash Awards

For the 2025 Award Year

Submissions Accepted: NOW through

March 1, 2025 (encouraged), June 15 (final)

2024 "It Looks Like a Million" Book Awards

12/11/2024

"This is a book that is not only beautiful, but also uplifting. Even though the author does not consider herself a photographer or poet, she has an eye for capturing the small day-to-day things about life in 2020. This all comes together in a well-designed book."
- Judge Randi Stones, Washburn Rural HS Journalism Teacher

Anne Garrett Spry was selected as the 2024 "It Looks Like a Million" Book Award recipient.

When the world shut down in March 2020, Author Anne Spry shut down emotionally ... until she had the time to really notice and appreciate her surroundings. She began taking photos of sunsets, sunrises, clouds and flowers. Poetry flowed out of her soul when she saw what the camera had captured. Now she is sharing her inspirations in hopes that this perspective on a largely negative era in our history will result in more universal gratitude.

Finally Noticing

Also recognized:

"This is a book for everyone. Young and old alike.

"The illustrations are vivid and bright. I could have looked at the pictures forever. Even my teenage son thought it was a beautiful book and that is high praise."
- Judge Randi Stones, Washburn Rural HS Journalism Teacher

Author Ann Vigola Anderson takes us back in time to her grandparents’ farm where Bottle Calf was born during an early spring blizzard. With illustrations by the talented Sara Long, this gorgeous book will be your go-to for holiday gift giving and beyond. Grab a copy to reminisce or to share the stories and gorgeous art with your kids and grandkids. You are going to love Bottle Calf!

Bottle Calf

"It Looks Like a Million" Book Design Award - Alistur the Magnificent, by D.L. Winter

10/14/2023

Order Alistur the Magnificent

Armed with his trusty birch wand and protective shield, young apprentice wizard Alistur Grimaldi believes he can wield his powers with the same determination and results as his beloved mentor, his Great-grandfather Balthazar.
His amusement quickly turns to anguish when his inexperience triggers a chain of disastrous events, putting him-and others-in dire circumstances. Mere hours after the most important event in his fourteen years, Alistur must find the courage to face the catastrophic proof of his foolish actions and make things right. . .if he can.
From the coast of the Azlyn Sea to the depths of the Crystal Caverns-befriending magical and mystical creatures along his way-Alistur must learn the journey to becoming a wise and responsible wizard will not be walked alone.

D.L. Winter was raised in Kansas and spent her adult life in Northern California. Many years ago, on her first trip abroad, inspired by the nostalgic allure of legends, lore, and architectural wonders of the Mediterranean region, the concept for Alistur’s story was born. However, crafting the fable would have to wait. Plotting adventures in the fictitious Kingdom of Fleurbania would be among the creative projects of her retirement. After a corporate career, D.L. now resides in her home state of Kansas once again, telling tales and enjoying life with family members.

Learn More - "It Looks Like a Million" Book Design Award

Judge Andrew Howard is an owner/operator of his family’s independent operation, Round Table Bookstore, in the NOTO Arts District in Topeka. He has plenty of experience in judging books by their covers (and interiors) after a few years of being the primary book purchaser for the store.

He also coordinates author events and marketing efforts at Round Table. Andrew’s day job is heading up the IT department at Silver Lake, KS schools.

2022 "It Looks Like a Million" Book Design Award

11/10/2022

“It Looks Like a Million” Book Award
Janey Olsen, Famous Artist of the Beach
by H.C. Friesen

Note from the Judges:
Janey Olsen, Famous Artist of the Beach is our choice for the “It Looks Like a Million” Book Award. The book has a fresh, cohesive look. Title, cover (including the notes on the back cover), chapter headings, illustrations, and lessons on how to use watercolor pencils all present a story of the growth of a young artist. The illustrations of author/illustrator H.C. Friesen flow with the plot and highlight the setting, i.e., a beach (with yellow beach house) and surrounding points of interest in North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The original paintings of the 9 to 10-year old Grace Baity track the artistic growth of 9 to 10-year old Janey Olsen. The layout integrates text and illustrations smoothly. The typeface is easy to read. The watery blue endpapers reflect the setting. A simple family tree of the main characters, a map of the Outer Banks, a pronunciation guide, and “How to” advice from Janey herself provide appropriate resources for young readers. Overall, the book has the feel of a children’s book that takes children’s talents seriously.

Jenny Russell and the Team at JenRus Freelance
2022 “It Looks Like a Million” Book Judges

Jenny Russell grew up in Glen Elder, Kansas, and graduated with a degree in Business, Communications and Marketing, from Bethany College. Russell has now worked in Economic Development, marketing, advertising, and websites for almost fifteen years. The company also provides graphic design services through their 314 Graphic Design division. This time included five years with Brush Art Corporation, a marketing and advertising agency out of Downs, Kansas, and now nine years in Economic Development. An emphasis in working with and structuring websites led Russell to Internet Marketing and the establishment of JenRus Freelance Marketing in 2008.

"It Looks Like A Million" Award Winners

2021 “It Looks Like a Million” Book Design Award

10/9/2021

The Big Quiet: One Woman's Horseback Ride Home
By Lisa D. Stewart

Cover Design: Cynthia Beard
Interior Design: Lisa Stewart, Robert Stewart, & Meadowlark Press.

Cover Design A
Excellent choice of imagery and typography that directly ties into the narrative of the story. You almost can literally “judge the book by the cover,” with the attractive, evocative photograph on the front, and the effective use of the blurbs and the brief summary about the author and her intention on the back. The colors effectively promoted a story told close to the land, with the use of sky blue and earthy green. The subject of the cover photo obviously represented the author and it showed her doing exactly what the book is about—a memoir of a journey of discovery while riding a horse in the countryside. Professionally printed and bound, the cover presents an attractive premise to the reader, welcoming one to open the book and begin the author’s trip alongside her.

Cohesion of Cover and Interior Pages A
The interior pages related to the cover design by use of the display font featuring a hand-honed, slightly distressed but easy to read font. The cover design is somewhat minimal, with a big empty sky at the top, and the chapter openings echo that feeling throughout.

General Format A-
Everything followed the standards set out by IBPA. All pages were in the correct order and the suggested elements were included. I was a bit puzzled by the use of the little pointer…I believe it alluded to the quote by Issa, with a radish as a pointer, but if I have any criticism of the book, it presented more of a “break” than was required by the narrative. It wasn’t used enough throughout to be an effective design element and seemed somewhat distracting.

Typography A
The use of an elegant typeface for the body text, perfectly leaded, and the attractive wide margins make the book appear to be an “easy read.” Clean white space at the beginning of the chapter, and the choice to make all chapters appear on the right side present a welcome break for the reader’s eyes. Professional composition of the text, with minimal hyphenation and awkward line breaks.

Printing and Binding A
Printing was well-done, with colors appearing bright but earthy. Soft, matte finish to the cover adds to the more rustic feel of the book. Off-white, non-glossy pages are welcoming and facilitate long sessions of reading.

Judge:
Desiree Ultican loves art, history and mysterious circumstances. She is a graphic designer by trade, a collector of vintage paper ephemera by inclination and an author by desire and determination after publishing her first book in 2010—the steampunk novel The Empress of the Clouds. Over her 40+ years as a graphic designer (as Desiree Mueller), she designed the interior pages for several books for Andrews McMeel Universal and The Vintage Workshop, both based in the Kansas City area. While working for various advertising agencies and design firms in town, she designed books for corporate and municipal clients. She currently is the art director for Lamcraft Inc., a supplier of laminated bookmarks and products for the funeral home industry and for museums nationwide, including the U.S. Capitol and the National World War I Museum in Kansas City. Desiree keeps company with her husband, Jim, and their cats in Independence, Missouri.