Georgia Author of the Year Awards Ceremony coming soon

     In my busy day today I took some time to check out the upcoming ceremony for The Georgia Authors of the Year Awards.  This year will be the 47th annual awards banquet and ceremony.  On Saturday, June 11, 2011 at 7:30 p.m., on the Kennesaw State University campus, located northwest of Atlanta in Cobb County, several outstanding authors will see their names flashed on a huge screen as the winner of a book they've written in their particular category.  It could be Creative Nonfiction in History or Specialty Book or Memoir; it could be in Fiction; it could be in Young Adult or Inspirational.  Whatever their specific category, there will be a winner.
     The Georgia Writers Association recognizes Georgia's authors of excellence by presenting these awards each year.  The GAYA has the distinction of being the oldest literary awards in the Southeastern United States.  It honors not only those authors in the current publishing houses of the world, but also the independently published authors.
     The Awards began in 1964 by the Dixie Council of Authors and Journalists.  But GAYA changed hands in 1990 to Georgia Writers Association and in 2006 became affiliated with Kennesaw State University's Department of Humanities.
     When I looked over this year's nominations, I found a few I recognized...some only by their names, but others whose books I've read.
     Janice Daugharty is a local area author, living over around Stockton, Georgia.  She's affiliated with the Abraham Baldwin Ag College in Tifton.  She has been nominated this year in the category of Fiction for her book "The Little Known."
    In the category of Creative Nonfiction Specialty Book, long time writer H. E. "Doc" Holliday has been nominated for "Boys Transitioning from Athletic Aggression to Academic Affirmation."  He's currently an assistant professor at Kennesaw State University.
     We just had the honor of having Dr. Niles Reddick at our fourth annual Moultrie-Colquitt County Library's authors' event.  Dr. Reddick is on staff at ABAC, Tifton, and has published his second book, "Lead Me Home," which has been nominated in the First Novel category.
     Of course, many of us have Ferrol Sams' books and love their wonderful simplicity of olden times and funny tales.  This year his book "Christmas Gift!" has been nominated in the Creative Nonfiction Memoir category.
     And Patricia Sprinkle!  Love those Sprinkle books!  Ones of mystery, of Georgia places, of southern beauty, and now of women in crisis.  Her book "Hold Up the Sky" has been nominated this year in the Fiction category and is a break from her mystery writing.
     Last, but not least, is "Whisky, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster" by William W. Starr in Creative Nonfiction Memoir.  Bill is the director of the Georgia Center for the Book and is a great writer of several genres (which includes his blog).
     There are many more authors nominated this year, in many other categories, such as Poetry, Biography, Creative Nonfiction Essay, Picture Book, etc.
     They need your support as Georgia authors and I would recommend that you take a look at the complete list.  Look at The Georgia Author of the Year Awards website, click on Current Nominees and see how many Georgia authors you have read.  I believe you'll be surprised who has been nominated.  It's a great way to pick a great book to read.
(Source:  http://authoroftheyear.org/)