The Donald L. Jordan Literary Prize for Excellence

The Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence is a $10,000 endowed prize that is awarded annually; the prize is contingent upon the winner signing a contract for publication with DLJ Books at CSU Press. The 2027 contest will close on October 31,2026. We announce the finalists at the end of the fall semester, and the winner is decided upon by the final judge in early spring. Past judges include Rosellen Brown, Pam Houston and Antonya Nelson. This year's judge is Maureen Gibbon.

Finalists

It is with great enthusiasm that we announce the 2026 five finalists for Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence. The endowed prize carries a $10,000 cash award and a contract for publication with CSU Press. In alphabetical order, for our judge Maureen Gibbon to consider:

• Patched Souls by Bipin Aurora
• White Sands by John Blair
• What Survives the Fire by Michelle Brady
• Call Them by Their Names by Susan Fox
• Feral Days by Alanna Schubach

The 2027 contest will open May 31, 2026, and close on October 31, 2026.

Previous Winners

• 2024 – Maureen Stanton, The Murmur of Everything Moving
• 2023 - Ellen Birkett Morris, Beware the Tall Grass
• 2022 - Scott Nadelson, While It Lasts
• 2020 - Michelle Herman, Close-Up

Learn more about previous winners and their books on the Collumbus State University Press website