ALBA announces contest for young novelists

The ALBA Funds for Culture, through the Dulce María Loynaz Cultural Center in Havana, and with the cooperation of the casa del Caribe in Santiago de Cuba, has announced the Novel Contest for Latin America and the Caribbean ALBA NARRATIVA 2011, in English language.{{more}}

This is done with the aim of encouraging and promoting young novelists who write a renewing, Latin American and Caribbean view in the countries of the regions.

The Novel Prize for Latin America and the Caribbean ALBA NARRATIVA 2011 will consist of an accreditation certificate, plus US$15,000.00 or its equivalent in the local currency of the winner’s country) and the publication of the prize-winning book.

The Second Novel Contest for Latin America and the Caribbean ALBA NARRATIVA 2011 will develop in accordance with the following rules:

The Contest is open to authors under 40 years old, born in any country in Latin America and the Caribbean, regardless of their place of residence, with original and unpublished novels which are not under contract with a publisher, literary agent or any other form of legal binding and which are not simultaneously participating in another contest.

Manuscripts must be written in English and should be novels reflecting any aesthetic tendency and theme, between 120 pages (180,000 characters) and 400 pages (600,000 characters). Two printed copies and a digital copy of the manuscript, identified with the entrant’s pseudonym, should be sent.

A closed envelope will be included, containing the name of the entrant, a photocopy of the identification document affirming his/her nationality, as well as the address, email address and telephone number of the entrant and the entrant’s previous writing credits. The title of the novel and the entrant’s pseudonym will be written on the envelope.

The decision of the judges will be made public during the XX International Book Fair in Havana, which will take place from 10 to 20 of February, 2011, and will be dedicated to the culture of the peoples of the ALBA and to the Bicentennial of Latin America Independence.

Persons interested in receiving further information about the rules, etc, can do so at the following e-mail addresses: albanarrativa@loynaz.cult.cu or albanarrativa@yahoo.es