LWS Legacy Awards

Anne Kay Award for Historical Fiction

Overview

The Anne Kay Award for Historical Fiction is awarded annually to a member of the London Writers Society (LWS) who, in the opinion of the jurors, has published the best work of historical fiction in the previous five (5) calendar years.

About Anne Kay

Anne’s historical fiction, The Salt Man, was released in December 2023 to glowing reviews from journalists, authors, historians, and readers alike. An enthusiastic supporter of LWS, Anne volunteered in various roles lending her communications experience to assist with LWS special events at Wolf Performance Hall, and as a member (and guiding light) of the inaugural Anthology Committee. With her passing in June 2026, Anne has left a void that is felt daily. She will never be forgotten, and her sunny smile and generous heart will be missed. (Read Anne’s full bio here.)

Award Prize: $100 and a one-year London Writers Society membership.

Submission period: July 1-31, 2026, closing at 11:59 PM ET

Eligibility & Submission Guidelines

• Entrant must be a member in good standing of LWS and a resident of southwestern Ontario at the time of submission and when the prize is awarded.
• The author must be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.
• Entries must be full-length English-language, first-edition trade books, between 70,000 and 120,000 words, written by a single author.
• Edited collections, anthologies, and conference proceedings are not eligible.
• Traditionally-published and self-published books are eligible. Books solely available in e-book form are not eligible.
• Books containing AI-generated text, in whole or in part, are not eligible.
• Reprints, translations, and posthumous entries are not eligible.
• The book must have been published in the five (5) calendar years prior to the year of submission.
• Books must fall under the genre of Historical Fiction as defined by Encyclopaedia Britannica:

A novel that has as its setting a period of history and that attempts to convey the spirit, manners, and social conditions of a past age with realistic detail and fidelity (which is in some cases only apparent fidelity) to historical fact. 

The “period of history” is hereby defined as being fifty or more years in the past.

• If you believe your book is eligible, but are uncertain, please make your submission. The committee will advise if your book does not meet the requirements.

• Entrants cannot win a prize two years in a row.
• The author must deliver three (3) physical copies of the book with a hard copy of the submission form attached, and submit one (1) digital copy via email to info@londonwriterssociety.ca. Please include the name of the award in the subject line, and your name, pen name, book title, and phone number in the body of the email. Copies will not be returned to the authors. (Once authors have registered, they will be provided with the delivery address via email.)
• All books must have an ISBN and be available for purchase in Canadian bookstores (online or physically) during the prize eligibility period.
• Books previously submitted are not eligible for re-submission in another year.

Selection

• A three-member volunteer jury will read all eligible submissions, interpret the rules of eligibility, and select up to five books for a shortlist.
• The jury will also choose the final winner.
• In the event there are five or less submissions, the jury may omit selecting a shortlist and move directly to selecting a winner.
• The jury may choose not to award a prize in any given year.
• The jury’s decision is final.
• Submissions will be accepted from July 1 to 31 each year, with full instructions posted on the LWS website.
• The shortlist will be announced in November.
• The winner will be announced in March.

Jury Composition

• Each year, the LWS Marketing Committee will select three (3) jurors who are willing to volunteer their time, talent and expertise to the selection process.
• The LWS shall verify the eligibility of each submission and, once verified, all eligible submissions will be passed to the jury.
• The identities of the jurors will remain confidential during and after the judging process.
• Decisions of the jury are final.
• The jury may choose not to award a prize in any given year.
• Jurors may not submit their own books for consideration in a year in which they are acting as jurors.
• The jury acts independently of the LWS Executive and Board in determining which of the submissions best reflect the prize criterion.
• In evaluating the writing, the criterion will include literary merit, emotional impact, cultural or time period resonance, pacing and tension, readability, appeal, engagement, originality, and professional presentation.
• The judgement of the jury in selecting the winners, determining eligibility, and interpreting these rules is final.

Announcement of Finalists & Winner

1. The shortlist will be announced in November.
2. The winner will be announced in early March.

Author Obligations

1. At the time of submission, the author must:

• verify Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status,
• be a current LWS member in good standing as of June 1, 2026 and throughout the award period, and
• be willing to:
  • participate in promotion and publicity efforts undertaken by LWS,
  • attend prize-related events, and
  • display finalist/winner digital seals (provided by LWS) on their website/social media channels.

2. Finalists will be asked to provide a 50-word bio and a headshot for promotional purposes.

Sponsorship Disclosure

The Anne Kay Historical Fiction Prize is generously funded by Howard and Rosemary Pell in loving memory of Anne Kay.