Note: Read this important update about changes to guidelines for eligibility and submission

Launched at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on April 27th, 2013, the Award, established by CODE with the generous support William (Bill) Burt and the Literary Prizes Foundation and in partnership with the Bocas Lit Fest, aims to celebrate the literary achievements of Caribbean authors while improving young readers’ access to books that are engaging and meaningful to them.

Part of a growing global initiative, the Burt Award for Caribbean Literature is an annual Award that will be given to three English-language literary works for Young Adults (aged 12 through 18) written by Caribbean authors. A First Prize of $10,000 CAD, a Second Prize of $7,000 CAD and a Third Prize of $5,000 CAD will be awarded to the winning authors. Publishers of winning titles will be awarded a guaranteed purchase of up to 3,000 copies.

Books published between 1 August 2011 and 22 August 2013 and eligible manuscripts must be received by the judging panel from publishers by 23 August 2013.

Winners will be announced at the NGC Bocas Lit Fest in Trinidad and Tobago in April 2014. 

Learn more about the Award and find the link to the official guidelines and entry forms.

New york based multicultural publishers Lee and Low have announced their 2013 New Voices Contest.

From Lee & Low: 
The contest is open to writers of color who are residents of the United States and who have not previously had a children's picture book published.
Manuscripts will be accepted from May 1, 2013, through September 30, 2013, and must be postmarked within that period.
The Award winner receives a cash prize of $1000 and our standard publication contract, including our basic advance and royalties for a first time author. An Honor Award winner will receive a cash prize of $500.
For submission guidelines and more information, check out the New Voices page. 

Each year at the Havana Book Fair, young writers from Latin America and the Caribbean are honoured at the Alba Narrativa awards. Since its launch in 2010, the awards have quickly become one of the most attractive awards for Spanish language writers in the region. Over 100 novels are entered each year. 

What’s less known is that the awards are open to English-language writers as well. In the four years of the contest, no English-language entries have been received. Aida Bahr, Caribbean Literature Action Group member and Vice President of Cuba’s Instituto del Libro, is hoping that will change in 2014.

Anyone under 40, born in any country in Latin America and the Caribbean, can enter. The entries must be original and unpublished novels, 120 to 400 pages, and should not be under contract with a publisher, literary agent or be simultaneously entered in another contest.

Entries are due in October of each year, and the winners are announced at the Havana Book Fair, the following February. Winners have their books published and receive USD 10,000 or its equivalent in their local currency. Each year’s winners are invited to the next year’s staging of the Havana Book Fair, where they get a chance to interact with fellow writers from the region at the fair’s Young Writers Conference.

Learn more about the Alba Narrative Awards.