University of Rochester's Eiseman Awards Seek Local Writers

Writers from the Rochester area and surrounding Western New York who have produced works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, young people's literature, and playwriting published during 2008-2009 are encouraged to submit entries for the sixth annual Andrew Eiseman Writers Awards.

Supported by a gift from 1979 alumnus Andrew Eiseman and administered by the River Campus Libraries at the University of Rochester, the $1,000 prizes were created to foster bonds between the Rochester literary community and the University and to raise awareness of the University's libraries as community resources.

Entries must be submitted by June 1, 2010. Works of fiction, nonfiction, young people's literature, and playwriting must be full length; collections of short stories or poetry must be by one author. Plays must have been published during the previous year, or produced or presented by a professional theater. Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges.

Eligible writers must live in Western New York or have resided there during the year of publication. The books cannot be self-published or e-books. A prize will be awarded in each category where the judges have selected a winner.

To submit, writers are asked to send three non-returnable copies of the work along with detailed contact information to Andrea Weinstein, University of Rochester, Alumni and Advancement Center, Box 278790, 300 East River Road, Rochester, New York 14627. Queries can be directed to aweinstein@admin.rochester.edu or (585) 273-1341. The awards will be announced on October 1, 2010, and presented at a ceremony.

A Denver, Colo., native, Eiseman earned a multi-disciplinary degree in performing arts management and continued on to become a program manager for telecom and cable TV companies in the United States, Europe, and Asia.