James Baker Hall Book Award for Creative Nonfiction

Accents Publishing is pleased to continue the partnership with the James Baker Hall Foundation for the prestigious yearly James Baker Hall Book Award. The 2026 edition of the award will honor an unpublished, book-length manuscript of Creative Nonfiction by a Kentucky author at any stage of their career. Creative Nonfiction may include memoir, personal essays, biography, travel writing, and other forms grounded in factual storytelling. We define Kentucky author as someone who lives in Kentucky, has lived in Kentucky, has strong ties to Kentucky or whose work features a prominent Kentucky theme. The author of the winning manuscript will receive a $3000 award and the manuscript will be published the following year by Accents Publishing, with the standard Accents Publishing contract. Following publication, the winner may join the James Baker Hall Kentucky Writers On The Road speakers tour to promote their work across the Commonwealth and help nurture the next generation of Kentucky writers.

The winner of the inaugural James Baker Hall Award was Wesley Houp for his poetry book, Strung Out Along the Endless Branch, which was selected by Greg Pape.

The 2025 award went to the short story collection Honeysuckle Season by Willie Davis, selected by Toni Ann Johnson.


  • Fees: None. There is no submission fee.

  • Eligibility: Writers 18 or older. Current students, personal friends and family of the judge may not submit.

  • Manuscript preparation: The submitted manuscript must be anonymous. The author’s name should not appear anywhere in the text.

  • Deadline: Manuscripts can be submitted between April 1st and June 30th. Winner and finalists will be announced in the Fall.

  • Award: $3000 plus publication with the standard Accents Publishing contract.

  • Submission: Only electronic submissions will be considered. Email your anonymous manuscript to accents.publishing@gmail.com. Include a brief bio in the body of the email.

  • Judging: Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame inductee Richard Taylor will be the final judge.