University of Mississippi

A prize of $12,000 is given annually for a novel published during the current year that asks readers “to engage with or reflect on the complexities of the U.S. South.” The winner will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to give a reading at the Oxford Conference for the Book in Oxford, Mississippi, in April 2027. Submit a hard copy of a published book, or an advance reader’s copy of a book to be published in October, November, or December, by September 30. There is no entry fee. Visit the website for complete guidelines.