Entries should focus on the theme, “In My Own Backyard.” Judges will look for excellence in use of dialogue, character development, setting, plot, conflict, and resolution. Submitted entries will be considered in three divisions: Grades 7-8;           Grades 9-10; Grades 11-12. Authors will enter the division for which they were a student during the 2008-09 school year.

Schools are limited to three entries per division. There is no entry fee. Entries must be double-spaced and formatted as a Microsoft Word document, accompanied by a completed contest entry form, then faxed to the Texas Book Festival office at (512)477-4055 no later than July 1, 2009.

Prizes will be awarded to the first, second, and third place finishers per division. First-place winners will be invited to Austin to receive an award and to read their works during the 2009 Texas Book Festival. Winning entries will also be published on the Texas Book Festival Web site.

To view the 2008 winning entries, visit http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2650706&s=50239223

For additional information, contact Bobby Hawthorne at bhawthorne@mail.utexas.edu. Entry forms are posted on both the UIL and the Texas Book Festival Web sites:

http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2650707&s=50239223

http://srv.ezinedirector.net/?n=2650708&s=50239223

For more information:   bookfest@texasbookfestival.org