The Sarton ~ The Gilda
We are pleased to announce the 2023 Sarton Award and Gilda Prize Winners
2023 SARTON AWARD WINNERS
- MEMOIR: This year we recognize two outstanding memoir entries in a very strong field:
- Love in the Archives, a Patchwork of True Stories About Suicide Loss by Eileen Vorbach Collins (Apprentice House Press)
- Spirit Things by Lara Messersmith-Glavin (University of Alaska Press)
- CONTEMPORARY FICTION: The Mother Gene by Lynne Bryant (Atmosphere Press)
- HISTORICAL FICTION: The Lioness of Boston by Emily Franklin (Godine)
- YOUNG ADULT FICTION: Eat and Get Gas: a Novel by J. A. Wright (She Writes Press)
- NONFICTION: Parenting with an Accent: How Immigrants Honor Their Heritage, Navigate Setbacks, and Chart New Paths for Their Children by Masha Rumer (Beacon Press)
2023 GILDA PRIZE WINNER
The Golden Ticket: A Life in College Admissions Essays by Irena Smith (She Writes Press)
The 2024 Women's Book Award contests are now closed.
The 2025 contest will be announced on this page; check back in the early spring.
The Women's Book Awards are sponsored by the Story Circle Network, an international nonprofit association of women writers.
- The Sarton Awards are presented in five categories (memoir, historical fiction, contemporary fiction, nonfiction, and young adult fiction). The award program is named in honor of May Sarton, who is remembered for her outstanding contributions to women's literature as a memoirist, novelist, and poet. Sarton memoirs, novels, and nonfiction books are distinguished by the compelling ways they honor the lives of women and girls and are limited to books published by independent authors and publishers.
- Gilda Prize: “It’s Always Something” is named in honor of comedian Gilda Radner. Gilda entries are distinguished by their fresh voices, their honesty, and their authenticity. They make us laugh (even when we want to cry).
The Sarton and Gilda competitions are open for nomination of books by women authors published in English in the United States and Canada. The awards are limited to submissions originally written in English and published by independent publishers, university presses, and author-publishers (self-publishing authors) with editorial offices headquartered in North America. Nominations of works from/about women of color and LBT+ women are welcome in all categories. Anyone, including the author, may nominate one or more books in multiple categories.
Professional librarians not affiliated with SCN select the winners from finalists chosen by first round jurors. Winners and finalists will be announced in April of the following year via social media, on the Story Circle Network website, and to SCN’s extensive email list.
- Winners receive a cash prize of $100, a commemorative award, gold seals, and a virtual seal for their websites, as well as advertising in SCN’s eletters and website and a year’s membership in SCN. Winners are also invited to attend and be honored at Stories from the Heart, SCN’s national conference (virtual or onsite).
- Finalists receive silver seals and a virtual seal for their websites.
See previous winners here.
