2011 Indiana Authors Award Recipients Honored

Indiana’s rich literary heritage recognized with Library Foundation award

INDIANAPOLIS — Three authors with ties to Indiana were awarded the 2011 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award this evening at a gala awards dinner at the Central Library in downtown Indianapolis. Announced as winners earlier this summer, Indiana residents Margaret McMullan and Helen Frost were presented their awards and prize money as the National Author recipient and Regional author recipient, respectively. They were joined by Indianapolis resident and English professor Micah Ling who received the Emerging Author award at the gala.

Nominations were submitted from across the state in early spring. Any published writer who was born in Indiana or has lived in Indiana for at least five years was eligible. A ten-member, statewide Award Panel selected the National and Regional winners and a winner in the third category of emerging authors from the pool of publicly nominated authors:

·         National Author - $10,000 prize: A writer with Indiana ties, and whose work is known and read throughout the country. National authors were evaluated on their entire body of work. Winner: Margaret McMullan

·         Regional Author - $7,500 prize: A writer who is well-known and respected throughout the state of Indiana. Regional authors were evaluated on their entire body of work. Winner: Helen Frost

·         Emerging Author - $5,000 prize: A writer who has published no more than two books during his/her lifetime. The title(s) must have been published within the last 10 years.  Emerging authors were evaluated on these specific works. Winner: Micah Ling

Finalists: Aaron Michael Morales and Bich Minh Nguyen  

In its third year, the Award recognizes the contributions of Indiana authors to the literary landscape in Indiana and across the nation.  The Award is a program of The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation and is funded by the generosity of The Glick Fund, a fund of Central Indiana Community Foundation.

“Through the generosity of the Glicks, the Indiana Authors Award has become an important program and cultural fixture now for our city and state,” said Danny R. Dean, president of The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation. “We wish to express our gratitude to the Glicks and our sponsors, as well as our Award Panel, who reviewed a significant number of nominations and books in a short time and then faced some tough decisions. On behalf of the Library Foundation, congratulations to all the nominees and winners!”

National Author recipient McMullan had congratulatory remarks, as well. “I am so pleased to be joined on stage this evening with such remarkable talent from across the state of Indiana,” said McMullan. “I know I speak for them as well when I say how honored we are to be named as this year’s award recipients. I moved to Indiana about 21 years ago to teach at the University of Evansville, and I’ve grown to love this state, its people, and its strong literary heritage. I feel privileged and humbled to be a part of tonight’s program and all that this award celebrates.”

In addition to a cash prize, each winner’s Indiana hometown public library will receive a grant of $2,500 from the Library Foundation, bringing the total cash distribution of prize money totaling $30,000.

Award recipients and finalists participated earlier in the day at the Indy Author Fair, which also took place at Central Library. The day’s events featured free public programming including author lectures, “how to get published” workshops for aspiring writers and meet-and-greet opportunities with more than 40 authors – all with Indiana ties. Information about nominating an author for the 2012 Eugene & Marilyn Glick Indiana Authors Award will be made available early next year. To learn more, contact the Library Foundation at (317) 275-4700 or visit www.indianaauthorsaward.org.

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About The Glick Fund: Eugene and Marilyn Glick are two of the most generous philanthropists in Indiana. In addition to establishing the Indiana Authors Award with The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation, the Glick family has funded Indiana educational institutions, arts organizations, hospitals and the Pro-100 program, a leadership program for underprivileged youth. Recent grant recipients include the Indiana Historical Society Living History Center, the Indianapolis Cultural Trail and the Glick Eye Institute at the Indiana University School of Medicine.

About the Library Foundation: The Indianapolis Public Library Foundation supports and enhances programs, services and facilities of The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library, and its partnerships in lifelong learning initiatives that benefit a diverse community. Through advocacy, fundraising and stewardship, the Library Foundation supports numerous Library initiatives to enhance patrons’ lives, including early literacy programs, homework assistance, workforce development and technologies, including a variety of online library resources. The Foundation works to support these initiatives, making educational opportunities available free of charge to all Library patrons.