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 Nebraska Book Awards

2024 Nebraska Celebration of Books

This years Nebraska Celebration of Books festival has ended. Information on next year's festival to come.

Free and open to the public! More details about presenters are forthcoming.

This year's Book Awards Celebration will be a combined event with the Nebraska Book Festival, called "The Nebraska Celebration of Books" which aims to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors. The event will feature several Nebraska authors, and presentation of the Nebraska Center for the Book's Nebraska Book Awards, Mildred Bennett Award and Jane Geske Award.

The 2024 Nebraska Book Awards will honor authors and publishers of books with a Nebraska connection published in 2023.

The Jane Geske Award will be presented to honor an organization that exemplifies exceptional contributions to literacy, books, reading, libraries, or literature in Nebraska. The annual Jane Geske Award commemorates Geske's passion for books, and was established in recognition of her contributions to the well-being of the libraries of Nebraska. Jane Pope Geske was a founding member of the Nebraska Center for the Book, former director of the Nebraska Library Commission, and a long-time leader in Nebraska library and literary activities.

The Mildred Bennett Award recognizes an individual who made significant contributions to the fostering of the literary tradition in Nebraska. This annual award reminds us all of the literary and intellectual traditions that enrich our lives and mold our world.

This year marks the 20th year of the One Book One Nebraska program. We will be celebrating with an panel disscussion of several OBON authors and a memoir writing workshop facilitated by Larksong Writers Group to honor this year's book selection, Dancing with the Octopus: A Memoir of a Crime by Debora Harding. The announcement of the 2025 One Book One Nebraska book choice will conclude the festivities.

Philosophy

The festival is held to celebrate Nebraska’s literary heritage and contemporary authors and to stimulate public interest in books, reading, and the written word. By gathering together contemporary writing talent of our state and surrounding areas, the festival provides an opportunity for participants to cultivate an understanding of our history, culture and community.

Meet the Presenters & Authors

Timothy Schaffert DeMisty D. Bellinger Karen Gettert Shoemaker
Timothy Schaffert DeMisty D. Bellinger Karen Gettert Shoemaker
James J. Kimble Joe Starita Lucy Adkins
James J. Kimble Joe Starita Lucy Adkins
Mary K. Stillwell Sam Lee Joanna Calel
Mary K. Stillwell Sam Lee Joanna Calel
Bianca Swift Allison L. Bitz Carla Ketner
Bianca Swift Allison L. Bitz Carla Ketner
Jacob K. Friefeld Dana Fritz Jennifer D. James
Jacob K. Friefeld Dana Fritz Jennifer D. James
Julie S. Paschold Romeo Oriogun Carolina Hotchandani
Julie S. Paschold Romeo Oriogun Carolina Hotchandani

Events & Programs

White Elm Brewing Trivia Night Zero Street Fiction 20 Years of OBON
White Elm Brewing
Trivia Night
Zero Street Fiction 20 Years of OBON
Nebraska Writers Collective Larksong Writers Place Nebraska Book Awards
SLAM Poetry Showcase Memoir Writing Workshop Nebraska Book Awards

Program Schedule

Updated as of September 16, 2024, the schedule of programing is open to change.


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11TH - TRIVIA NIGHT - White Elm Brewing (720 Van Dorn Street)

5:30 p.m. - Trivia Night -- Join us at White Elm Brewing for a pre-festival event featuring Nebraska book and literary trivia and $4 pints for trivia participants.


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12TH - 2024 EVENTS & FEATURED AUTHORS - University of Nebraska Union (1400 R Street) - All sessions 45 minutes

10:00 a.m. - 20 Years of One Book One Nebraska Author Panel - Regency Suite A -- Books, Banter, and Breakfast Bites: Past One Book One Nebraska authors share their experiences and thoughts on the One Book One Nebraska program. Discussion will focus on the program's impact on the author's writing journey, the significance of community reading initiatives, and the role of literature in fostering dialogue and understanding.

Featuring authors: Karen Shoemaker, James J. Kimble, Joe Starita, and Mary K. Stillwell

11:00 a.m. - Zero Street Author Panel - Regency Suite A -- Zero Street is committed to LGBTQ+ literary fiction with commercial potential, providing marginalized authors opportunities for a wide readership in the trade fiction market. Join for discussion with series editor Timothy Schaffert, bestselling author of The Perfume Thief, and collection author DeMisty D. Bellinger, author of All Daughters Are Awesome Everywhere: Stories. The series seeks LGBTQ+ literary fiction of all kinds, from stories of modern life to innovations on traditions of genre and are particularly interested in BIPOC authors, trans authors, and queer authors over 50.

Noon - Memoir Writing Workshop - Heritage Suite -- So You Want to Write a Memoir A Memoir: Writing Workshop facilitated by Nebraska Author and Poet Lucy Adkins, and sponsored by Larksong Writers Place. We all have a story or two to tell, and whether you’re interested in capturing a few of the most memorable or writing a full length memoir, this workshop will help get you started. Together, we’ll discuss the various features of memoir, consider what the memoir wants, and using the generative process, we will write. Plan to uncover some new ideas and go home with the beginnings of stories you can develop for your own memoir.

1:00 p.m. - SLAM Poetry - Swanson Auditorium -- Facilitated by the Nebraska Writers Collective (NWC), this SLAM Poetry showcase performance will feature Nebraska Writer Collective poets Sam Lee, Joanna Calel, Riley Westerholt, and Bianca Swift.

2:00 p.m. - Nebraska Book Award Author Roundtable - Regency Suite A -- Authors who received a 2024 Nebraska Book Award will be discussing their winning books and answering questions.
(May run longer than 45 minutes)

Featuring authors: Allison L. Bitz, Carla Ketner, Jacob K. Friefeld, Dana Fritz, Jennifer D. James, Julie S. Paschold, Romeo Oriogun, and Carolina Hotchandani

3:30 p.m. - Nebraska Book Awards Presentations and OBON Announcement - Swanson Auditorium -- Each author may speak up to 5 minutes as they recieve their 2024 awards.

5:00 p.m. - Reception - Heritage Suite -- Immediately following the awards presentations, will feature author signings and books available for purchase. Refreshments provided by the University of Nebraska Press.


Host Sponsors

    Nebraska Center for the Book Logo    City of Lincoln Libraries Logo    Francie and Finch BookShop Logo        University of Nebraska Press Logo       Nebraska Library Commission Logo

Supporting Sponsors

    Humanities Nebraska Logo    RAYGUN Logo
    Concierge Marketing Logo    KZUM Logo       Outskirts Press Logo   
HOST SPONSORS SUPPORTING SPONSORS
Nebraska Center for the Book
Nebraska Library Commission
University of Nebraska Press
Lincoln City Libraries
Francie & Finch Bookshop
Humanities Nebraska
Outskirts Press
Concierge Marketing
KZUM 89.3FM
RAYGUN