Astra Book Awards — Submission Information
The Inaugural Astra Book Awards:
The Astra Book Awards celebrate excellence in literature across various genres and formats, recognizing both established and emerging voices in publishing.
Eligibility & Participation:
The Astra Book Awards are open to all authors and publishers worldwide, regardless of country of origin.
All submitted books must be written in English or available in an official English edition.
We encourage participation from traditional publishers, independent presses, self-published authors, literary agents, and publicists.
Eligibility & Participation:
- Submissions Open: Monday, February 16, 2026
- Submissions Close: March 13, 2026 (11:59 PM PT)
- Nominating Committee Voting Begins: March 23, 2026
Nominating Committee Voting Ends: March 29, 2026 - Nominations Announced: March 31, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT
(Press release and social media announcement) - Final Voting Begins: April 6, 2026
Final Voting Closes: April 12, 2026 - Astra Book Awards Ceremony: Monday, April 20, 2026
Los Angeles, California
(Venue to be announced)
Registration Period
The official 2026 submission window runs from:
February 16, 2026 – March 13, 2026
All entries must be submitted and paid for by the closing deadline.
Nomination Rules & Eligibility
Publication Window
Eligible books must have been released between:
January 1, 2025 – February 28, 2026
Submission Materials
All submissions must include:
- A digital download copy of the book (required)
- Hard copies (optional but accepted)
Digital access is mandatory for review purposes.
Submission Fees
- $100 per category entry
- Books may be entered into multiple categories
- Each category requires a separate $100 submission fee
- All fees must be paid via the Astra Awards online payment system
- Submissions are non-refundable
Important Submission Policies
- Books must be officially submitted to be considered.
- Third parties may submit on behalf of an author or publisher.
- All submitted books are automatically eligible for Book of the Year, which will be voted on by the full membership of the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
Award Categories
- Best Autobiography or Memoir
- Best Biography
- Best Celebrity Book
- Best Children’s Book
- Best Comic Book
- Best Fantasy
- Best Fiction
- Best First Book
- Best Graphic Novel
- Best Historical Fiction
- Best Horror
- Best LGBTQ+
- Best Mystery
- Best Non-Fiction
- Best Ongoing Book Series
- Best Romance
- Best Romantasy
- Best Science Fiction
- Best Thriller
- Best True Crime
- Best Young Adult
Nominating Committee
Members of the Hollywood Creative Alliance will be invited to serve on the Astra Book Awards Nominating Committee.
Committee members will receive:
- A complete list of eligible submissions
- Downloadable digital access to submitted books
- Rolling access to submissions as they are received
Number of Nominees
- A minimum of four nominees
- A maximum of ten nominees
Final Voting
Final voting will be open to all members of the Hollywood Creative Alliance.
2026 Astra Book Awards Ceremony
Monday, April 20, 2026
Los Angeles, California
The official venue will be announced in advance of the event.