[ Download: My Hometown :: Writing Contest Entry Form (PDF) ] Theme: My Hometown The twenty-six American authors in A Journey Through Literary America wrote about their hometowns and/or the hometowns of their protagonists in tones that run the gamut: satirical, comical, reverential, nostalgic, matter-of-fact, but always evocative and revealing. We want you to write about your hometown (we leave it up to you how you choose to define the term, whether it be the town your grew up in, the town you have adopted as your own, the place that feels most like "home.") The most important thing is that your entry must strongly evoke place. Prizes: $1,000 first prize and $250 each for two runners-up. Preparing Your Entry: Please submit your entry via regular mail. The entry must be accompanied by an Official Entry Form or facsimile, and the required entry reading fee ($15). Your entry must be original, in English, unpublished and unproduced, not accepted by any other publisher or producer at the time of submission. A Journey Through Literary America retains the right to quote excerpts from entries as they are received, and to reproduce the First Prize and Runner-Up entries on the website or in print, with full attribution. The entry must be typed on one side of 8-1/2 x 11 white paper (computer printout acceptable) or A4 paper. Manuscripts must be double-spaced. Your name, address, phone number and e-mail address must appear in the upper left-hand corner of the first page - otherwise your entry is disqualified. No refunds will be issued for disqualified entries. Be sure of your word count! Entries exceeding the 2,000 word limit will be disqualified. Type the exact word count (counting every single word, except the title) at the top of the manuscript. Mailed entries must be stapled. Entries submitted may be fiction, non-fiction, or poetry. We see the contest as being primarily in the category of creative non-fiction, but will make every attempt to fairly judge entries submitted in the fiction or poetry categories. Reading Fee: $15 Deadline: Entries must be postmarked by August 1, 2010. We cannot return submitted manuscripts; however, to receive notification of the receipt of your manuscript, send a self-addressed stamped postcard along with your entry. Please note that it may take up to 30 days after the deadline for all entries and payments to be processed. The following are not permitted to enter the contest: friends and family of the authors of A Journey Through Literary America or of the judges. [ Download: My Hometown :: Writing Contest Entry Form (PDF) ] Submit Entries To: Thomas Hummel Books A Journey Through Literary America 4551 Glencoe Avenue, Suite 110 Marina del Rey, California 90292 Tel: (310) 717-7258 E-mail: Tom@LiteraryAmerica.net Judging and Notification: Every entry will be read by a panel of qualified judges. Judges' decisions are final. Award Winners will be notified by mail by October 15, 2010. Sponsored By: A Journey Through Literary America