UMass Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press

Since 1976, the University of Massachusetts Press has annually awarded the Juniper Prize for Poetry, publishing the winning collection of poems in book form. Since 1990, it has also published the annual winner of the AWP Grace Paley Prize competition. In 2004, in collaboration with the UMass Amherst MFA Program for Writers and Poets, the Press established a third contest—the Juniper Prize for Fiction—to honor and publish outstanding works of literary fiction. The prize carries a cash award of $1,500 upon publication.

2008-2009 Submissions

Submissions will be accepted between August 1 and September 30, 2008. The award winner will be announced at our website in April 2009 and publication scheduled for Spring 2010.

Eligibility

1. The competition is open to all writers in English, whether or not they are U.S. citizens. Employees and students of the University of Massachusetts are not eligible for the award.

2. Novels, novellas, and collections of stories are all eligible. Work that has previously appeared in magazines, in whole or in part, may be included, but should be so identified on the cover sheet.

3. Manuscripts must be at least 150 pages and no longer than 350 pages.

Format for submissions

1. Manuscripts must be typed double-spaced in 12-point type (preferably Times New Roman), with pages numbered consecutively and the book’s title reproduced at the top of each page. Clean, legible photocopies are acceptable. Do not send the manuscript in a binder—instead, use two rubber bands and mail it in a padded envelope.

2. Each submission should have two cover pages—one listing the title of the manuscript and the author's name, address, phone number, and email address; and a second page listing only the title. The author's name should not appear after the first cover page.

3. Please include a page with information about any previously published books: title, page count, publisher, and year of publication.

4. All manuscripts must be accompanied by a $20 submission fee. Please make checks payable to the University of Massachusetts Press. They must be drawn on a U.S. bank.

5. Be sure to retain one copy of the manuscript for your files. Manuscripts submitted for the Juniper Prize will not be returned.

Multiple submissions

1. You may submit your manuscript to other publishers while it is being considered for this competition, but if it is accepted for publication elsewhere, please notify us immediately.

2. You may submit more than one manuscript to the competition as long as each submission is accompanied by a $20 check, meets the eligibility requirements, and does not include material submitted to us in another manuscript.

Dates for submission

1. All manuscripts must be submitted between August 1 and September 30 (with a postmark no later than September 30).

2. Send submissions to:

Juniper Prize for Fiction
University of Massachusetts Press
East Experiment Station, 671 N. Pleasant Street
Amherst, MA 01003

3. The Press assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged manuscripts, and we suggest that you retain a copy for your protection.

4. The winner will be notified in April 2009. No information about the winner will be released before the April announcement, and the Press will not be able to provide feedback on manuscripts submitted for the competition.

Winner of the 2008 Juniper Prize for Fiction

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