Every other year, the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame holds an induction ceremony to celebrate authors with ties to Colorado. This year’s gala induction will be held on September 6, at the DoubleTree Hilton Hotel-Denver in Greenwood Village, honoring published authors who were born or have lived in Colorado; have written about Colorado or published one of their known works within the state; have made significant and enduring contributions to their fields of work; have helped open new frontiers for writing styles, ideas and concepts; and who have inspired others and advanced the status of authors.
This great celebration of Colorado’s literary legacy is first made possible by the nomination process. All inductees have been nominated by lovers of literature—and you could nominate the next inductee. Personal, thoughtful nominations are what catch the eyes of the eight blind judges who will decide the 2025 inductees to the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame.
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Dr. Judith Briles, founder of the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame, gives these tips for nominating authors. “Know the body of the author’s work. Do your homework. How many books did they write or how many did they sell? Though, a nominee doesn’t have to be a word merchant. Marilyn Van Derbur only wrote one book, but the impact on millions of women and men, globally, was stunning,” she says. “Sometimes when you think of the Hall of Fame, it is an endless list of things they’ve accomplished. That’s not the case. We’re looking at the impact of what the authors have done.”
When Briles founded the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame in 2014, with the first induction event in 2019, it was the first state-based hall of fame of its kind. “I always felt that Colorado is rich with authors, playwrights and people in the arts. There was nothing that exclusively had a resting spot, a celebration for them. There is a variety of different book awards, but nothing that had a permanent place,” Briles says. “Some of the authors are well known and some are not—it’s based on nominations that come from the public.”
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Nominating a published author costs nothing but the time and care required to write a thoughtful entry. “It’s supposed to be about their impact, their legacy, their mentorship of authors,” advises Briles. “The judges don’t’ go out and read all these books—it’s the strength of the nomination form. The success of the nominee is based on how you can brag about this person.” Nominations should be submitted before the end of March via their website under the “Nominate” tag.
Previous inductees include former Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Miss America By Day’s Marilyn Van Derbur, Jerry Jenkins, who created the Left Behind series, American Western writer, Louis L’Amour, fortune hunter W. C. Jameson, and even Stephen King.
Only occurring every other year, the Hall of Fame induction gala is typically sold out, an event filled with book lovers, nominees, and family and fans. Video and photos from past events are available on the website as well, along with a news feed for upcoming event information.
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In non-induction years, the Colorado Authors Hall of Fame is very active, supporting aspiring authors across Colorado with scholarships and resources. The Aspiring Authors Scholarships were first awarded in September 2022 for five recipients. Scholarships are awarded in even-numbered years. Submissions are welcomed from January through April, of that year. Each award will consist of cash and a mentorship.
To nominate a deserving Colorado author and to learn more, visit their website.