top of page

QTBIPOC FICTION BOOK AWARD

For our first ever full length fiction prize, Abode Press is looking to acquire fiction short story collections or novels written by people of color who are queer and/or trans. We want work that is voice driven, sparks social change, reminds us of home, and defies genre. We are especially interested in works that are haunting, that have a strong sense of place, that are queer, radical, and genre defiant. Some of the editorial teams favorite authors who do this remarkably well are Octavia Butler, Mariana Enriquez, Carmen Maria Machado, Toni Morrison, and Rivers Solomon. We also love when work is inspired from theorists, such as Audre Lorde and Saidiya Hartman. 

Submit

The book award fiction prize is open until May 31st. 

​

To share your work, please click the button below to be taken to our Submittable page. 

​

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS 

- Must be a writer of color who identifies as queer and/or trans 

- Must reside in the United States

- Must be at least 21 years of age by June 1st, 2026

- Must be submitting a fiction manuscript, either a novel or a short story collection

​

 

GUIDELINES

Manuscript samples should be 50 pages or less, in Times New Roman or Garamond, and double spaced. It should be paginated. In your artist statement, you can include a synopsis of the work so we can understand the full scope of the project. The artist statement should also describe how the manuscript aligns with Abode’s commitments to anti-racist and intersectional work and tie in our interests in themes of “home, identity, origin, and culture.” The artist statement should also contain your bio with links to your social media and or author website. Please note we will be accepting submissions until June 1st, 2026. We cannot wait to read your work.

​

 

PRIZE DETAILS

- 1000 cash prize

- 25 author copies

- Standard book contract

- Professional marketing and publicity 

- Work with an indie press and a small team who will champion your work! 

​

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

By submitting your manuscript, you acknowledge that the work is authentically yours and has not been generated, created, or edited by AI tools. You agree that you own the rights to the work and it has not been published elsewhere. In addition, you agree that you are a person of color who is queer and/or trans based in the United States. 

​

QTBIPOC Book Award Fiction Prize

If your full length is selected for publication, you will receive the following package:

​​​

  • 25 author copies

  • 1000.00 USD publication prize

  • Professional book cover design done in house or with a freelance artist 

  • Professional book design and layout

  • Marketing on all our social platforms

  • Events, virtual and in person if able to travel to Houston, San Antonio, or Austin

  • Book will be submitted to national prizes, awards, and magazines for reviews and publicity

  • Standard Book Contract

​

​

As we apply for grants and secure donor funding, we aim to increase our author advances and more for our author packages. Help us improve our author chapbook package by donating to the Press here. 

bottom of page