“The mission of the National Book Foundation and the National Book Awards is to celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of great writing in America.”

The Tiptree Award’s own true founding mother, Karen Joy Fowler, second from the left in the top row will be one of the five judges on the fiction panel (top row). Categories are fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and young people’s literature. All of the other judges are stellar, of course, but ones that stood out to me are Melissa Harris-Perry (judging nonfiction), Joy Harjo (judging poetry) and Ellen Oh, of We Need Diverse Books (judging young people’s literature).

Nominations are now open (they cost $135 per entry!) and will be open until May 16. Winners will be announced in November.

Go Karen!