SUBMISSIONS FOR 2024 ARE CLOSED-INTERESTED IN ENTERING IN 2025?

Terms and Conditions

These Rules and Conditions are the rules and conditions of The Carousel Aware Prize for Independent Authors (The CAP Awards) for the year 2024 

  • Eligibility Criteria
    • This competition is open to all self-published and assisted-published authors and illustrators who have an Irish Passport and may live abroad , or those of any nationality who have lived in Ireland for five years or more, with the exception of committee members and sponsors.
    • The submissions must be in the English or Irish language, and have been published since 1st of January, 2018. For the avoidance of doubt, a reprint of a book shall not be eligible unless the book was originally published within the period referred to.
    • The submissions must include a ISBN number.
    • The submissions must fall under one category: non-fiction, fiction, children or anthologies*
  • Other Conditions of Entry
  • Submissions begin on Monday, the 4th of March 2024, at 9am and close at midnight on the 6th of May 2024.
  • Entry Fees are non-refundable
  • All submissions must be received by 18.00hrs 13 May 2024. Submissions received after this date
  • Submissions can be in print (hardback and paperback) or E book format.
  • Assessment Criteria includes Book Cover, Title, Editing, Content, Formatting.
  • All entrants must be a minimum of 16 years of age at the time of entering.
  • Authors can enter multiple books, but each book must be submitted individually.
  • The CAP Awards do not accept responsibility for books which are lost, stolen, otherwise mislaid or not received at latest on 13th of May 2024, nor shall any extension of time after this date be granted to facilitate the late entry for the Award of books so lost, stolen or otherwise mislaid.
  • The winning books will be chosen by selected readers and judges.
  • There will be awards for five different categories.
  • The judges’ decision is final. No correspondence will be entered into.
  • Longlisted and shortlisted authors will be notified via email, and invited to the award ceremony in early November.
  • It is the responsibility of the author to cover all costs in submitting their book either in paperback or ebook format.
  • It is the responsibility of the winning author to arrange for, and to bear all travel costs in respect of the presence at the prize-giving ceremony.
  • The Carousel Aware Prize (The CAP Awards) will use any data submitted by entrants only for the purposes of running the competition, unless otherwise stated in the entry details. By entering this competition, all entrants consent to the use of their personal data by The Cap Awards for the purposes of the administration of this competition and any other purposes to which the entrant has consented.
  • Canvassing judges in any manner either before or after the entry of any book for the Award will render the said book ineligible for the Award.
  • A book shall not be rendered ineligible by reason of having been nominated or shortlisted for, or having won, any other award or prize.
  • Copies of submitted books when received shall become the property of The CAP Awards and shall not be returned to the relevant authors as they are distributed to readers and judges.
  • The decision of The CAP Awards as to the eligibility of any book shall be final and no correspondence shall be entered into in relation to eligibility.
  • The decision of the Judges as to the winning books shall be final and conclusive and no correspondence shall be entered into concerning the judging process.
  • The CAP Awards may at any time and without notice alter the Rules and Conditions governing the Award or defer or discontinue it.
  • By entering the competition each entrant agrees to be bound by these terms and conditions.
  • The application fee is non-refundable.
  • Judges for the competition inlcude Lisa Harding; Kathy Donaghy; Adam Wyeth; Meg Grehan; Deborah Donnelly
  • Committee members include Carolann Copland; Dolores Keaveney; Jane Buckley; Jeremy Murphy; Yvonne Reddin; Orla Bakeberg; Patrick Osborne; Emer Cleary
  • For any queries email info@capawards.ie
  • This competition is open to all self-published and assisted-published authors and illustrators who have an Irish Passport and may live abroad , or those of any nationality who have lived in Ireland for five years or more, with the exception of committee members and sponsors.
  • The submissions must be in the English or Irish language, and have been published since 1st of January, 2018. For the avoidance of doubt, a reprint of a book shall not be eligible unless the book was originally published within the period referred to.
  • The submissions must include a ISBN number.
  • The submissions must fall under one category: non-fiction, fiction, children or anthologies*
  • *(Prose OR poetry, OR a mixture of prose and poetry. One author OR a compilation of authors)