The Mary Lynn Kotz Award

MISSION OF THE AWARD

The Mary Lynn Kotz Award recognizes an outstanding book that is written primarily in response to a work (or works) of art while also showing the highest literary merit, in and of itself, as a creative or scholarly work.

AWARD ELIGIBILITY                                   

An eligible book, which may be in any genre of prose or poetry, must have been published, in English and in the United States.  Each year we honor books written in the previous calendar year. Thus, entries for the 2014
awards must have been published and distributed between January 1 and December 31, 2013.  Any individual, organization, or company may nominate books to be considered for these awards and must be accompanied by the cover form and two copies of the book. Up to two additional copies may be requested for judging purposes.

TIMELINE OF THE AWARD

Nominations for this annual award will be accepted on a rolling basis beginning November 15 of the eligible year and extending through March 15 of the subsequent year. After preliminary screening, judges will receive books in March. The winner will be selected during a physical or virtual meeting no later than July. Following a summer announcement of the winner, he or she will be honored at the Library of Virginia's annual fall awards dinner.

JUDGING OF THE AWARD

The panel of 4-5 judges will be composed of nationally prominent authors from a variety of relevant genres. Each judge will serve a three-year term, with the option of serving again after a one-year break from service. A preliminary screening will be administered, under the direction of Library of Virginia staff, to confirm technical eligibility and identify a group of 8-10 candidates to be sent on to judges.

ABOUT MARY LYNN KOTZ

Mary Lynn Kotz is an author, lecturer, and journalist best known for her groundbreaking writing about artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe and Robert Rauschenberg. Her acclaimed book RAUSCHENBERG: ART AND LIFE balances deft observations of craft with a biographer's chronicle of Rauschenberg's inspirations, experiences, and extensive collaborations. Through her tireless service to cultural institutions and initiatives, including many in her beloved Virginia, Kotz has shown a lifelong commitment to making the arts a vital and illuminating presence in our society.

Nominations for the Award are currently being accepted. You may nominate a book online using the entry form.