#book-awards

#book-awards

Yes, we had our travails. As in much of the country, libraries faced hurdles both fiscal and philosophical in the form of budget shortfalls and book challenges. A flagging economy hurt bookstores, including the monolithic Powell's Books, which suffered a series of staff cuts. Orders by the Trump Administration that cut grants and fellowships affected local writers. But generally, in the words of a former state slogan, things look different here.

As the the very proud sponsor of the Newcomer of the Year Book Award, we're always excited to see what new fiction is coming from Irish writers, so it's wonderful to report that there's much to look forward to in 2026.