The 2012 Southern California Book Festival is looking for entries to its competition honoring the best books of the fall.

They will consider published and unpublished works in
* fiction,
* non-fiction,
* biography/autobiography,
* how-to,
* compilations/anthologies,
* photography/art,
* children’s,
* cookbooks,
* poetry,
* spiritual,
* young adult,
* business/technology,
* unpublished manuscripts,
* nature/animals
* regional lit and
* wild card (anything goes!)

There is no date of publication restriction, but all entries must be in English or Spanish. Deadline for submission is October 25, 2012.

Grand prize for the 2012 Southern California Book Festival winner is $1500 cash and a flight to our awards ceremony in November, 2012 in San Diego.

Submitted works will be judged by a panel using the following criteria:
1. General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.
2. The potential of the work to reach a wider audience.

More information and entry forms can be obtained on their website.

Anyone thinking of entering this book Festival?

Wow, I just heard about another book festival competition:

This one is the "2013 Great Southeast Book Festival," with competition honoring the best books of the late winter/spring season.

They will consider published and unpublished works in
* fiction,
* non-fiction,
* biography/autobiography,
* how-to,
* compilations/anthologies,
* photography/art,
* children’s,
* cookbooks,
* poetry,
* spiritual,
* young adult,
* business/technology,
* unpublished manuscripts,
* nature/animals
* regional lit and
* wild card (anything goes!)

Pretty much covers everything it appears to me.

There is no date of publication restriction, but all entries must be in English.

Grand prize is $1500 cash and a flight to the awards ceremony in New Orleans, to be held in March, 2013.

Submitted works will be judged by a panel using the following criteria:
1) General excellence and the author's passion for telling a good story.
2) The potential of the work to reach a wider audience.
For more information, visit this link.

So now you have twice as many reasons to get that manuscript finished!

Good luck!

Too bad there's a $50 nonrefundable entry fee, plus you have to send them a paper copy of your book. But the prize is nice, and I imagine the prestige of winning would be great.