Little, Brown Spark New Voices Award Official Rules

LITTLE, BROWN SPARK NEW VOICES AWARD (the “Contest”)

In partnership with Psychotherapy Networker

 

OFFICIAL RULES

 

1. Contest. Little, Brown Spark, an imprint of Little, Brown and Company, a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. (the “Sponsor”) is inviting previously unpublished, unagented, and diverse authors to submit non-fiction book proposals on any topic within any branch of psychology and aimed at general readers (each, a “Submission”). For purposes of this Contest, “unpublished” means not having previously published a book with a publishing company (including any academic press). The entrant with the most original and compelling proposal will receive, as further described in Section 4, an introduction to a literary agent; feedback and guidance from Sponsor’s editorial team on turning their proposal into a manuscript; the opportunity to enter a publishing contract with Sponsor with a $50,000 advance); and a ticket to attend the Psychotherapy Networker (“Co-Sponsor”)’s 2024 Symposium from March 21-24, 2024 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. (the “Symposium”), where they will receive recognition on the main stage during the ceremony, plus a U.S. $500 travel stipend for transportation to and from the Symposium and hotel accommodations (the “Prize”).

2. Eligibility. The Contest is open to any author who (a) identifies as diverse, which may include (but is not limited to) identifying as LGBTQIA; Native; a person of color; gender diverse; having a disability; and/or an ethnic, cultural, and/or religious minority; (b) is an expert in the field of psychology, holding one or more of the following degrees or accreditations: license in clinical social work; master of social work; doctorate or PhD in social work; certification in cognitive behavior therapy; master of arts in psychology; master of arts in clinical psychology; master of science in applied behavior analysis; or PhD in psychology; (c) who is a legal resident of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia; and (d) who is 18 or older as of April 18, 2023. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these Official Rules, the Contest is NOT open to (i) authors who have previously published any book with a publishing company (including any academic press); (ii) authors who are currently represented by literary agents; or (iii) employees of Sponsor, Co-Sponsor, or any of Sponsor or Co-Sponsor’s respective parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, retailers, suppliers, distributors, or advertising/promotion agencies (collectively, “Contest Entities”), or the immediate family members of any of the foregoing (which includes spouses, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons, or daughters, regardless of where they reside) and/or those living in the same household of any of the foregoing, whether or not related to such employees. The Contest is void where prohibited by law.

3. Submission Period. The Contest’s submission period for all entries is between 12:01 am Eastern Time (“ET”) on April 19, 2023 and 11:59 pm ET on October 15, 2023 (“Submission Period”). Any entries received outside the Submission Period and any entries that do not meet the requirements of these Official Rules will not be eligible for entry to the Contest.

 

4. Contest Details.

 

• To enter the Contest, an entrant must submit a Submission in accordance with these Official Rules via the website form available at littlebrownspark.com/new-voices-award. For the avoidance of doubt, monographs and textbooks will not be considered. Each Submission must include (i) a brief description and overview of the proposed book (not to exceed 500 words); (ii) a detailed chapter outline (2-3 paragraphs per chapter); (iii) a full sample chapter (between 4000 and 5000 words); and (iv) an author biography and/or resume. Each entrant will get one (1) entry per person/household. No automated entry devices and/or programs are permitted. All entries become the sole and exclusive property of Sponsor and receipt of entries will not be acknowledged or returned. Only fully completed entries are eligible, and all lost, late, illegible, stolen, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible, misdirected, technically corrupted, or garbled entries will be disqualified. Proof of submission will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor.

• Each Submission will be judged on the following criteria: (i) the originality of the thesis or concept; (ii) the logic and credibility of the argument; (iii) the rigor of the research; (iv) the clarity and accessibility of the writing; and (v) the relevance of the topic to general and/or non-academic readers.

• A shortlist of up to six Submissions (the “Shortlisted Submissions”) will be chosen by February 1st, 2024 from entries received in accordance with these Official Rules by Sponsor’s editorial team. Each entrant who submitted a Shortlisted Submission (the “Shortlisted Entrants”) will be invited to attend a one-hour virtual consultation with a senior-level editor at Sponsor, which will include general feedback on the applicable Shortlisted Submission and insight into the publishing process and industry. If a Shortlisted Entrant becomes unable to attend the consultation, Sponsor will use reasonable efforts to reschedule the consultation to a mutually agreed time, but if the parties cannot agree on such rescheduled time, Sponsor will have no further obligation to such Shortlisted Entrant to make such consultation available.

• The winning Submission (the “Winning Submission”) will be chosen from the Shortlisted Submissions by a panel consisting of 4-5 editors and other senior-level employees at Sponsor on February 15^th, 2024. The judges’ decision for the selection of the Shortlisted Submissions and the Winning Submission is final.

• Sponsor will provide the entrant who submitted the Winning Submission (the “Winning Entrant”) with a list of agents who have agreed to be contacted by the Winning Entrant for purposes of helping the Winning Entrant negotiate a publishing contract. Sponsor strongly recommends that the Winning Entrant secures representation from an agent before proceeding with negotiations for a publishing contract with Sponsor.

• The Winning Entrant secures representation from an agent, the Winning Entrant agrees to submit the Winning Submission and/or any manuscript resulting from the Winning Submission (the “Manuscript”) exclusively to Sponsor before submitting the same to any other publisher. The Winning Entrant and Sponsor will use reasonable, good faith efforts to enter a publishing contract, such contract to be agreed between the Winning Entrant and Sponsor; provided, that, Sponsor will have no further liability or obligation to Winning Entrant, including with respect to any advance, if Winning Entrant and Sponsor are unable to agree to the terms of such contract. The contract will set out the terms and conditions relating to publication of a book based on the Winning Submission and/or Manuscript (the “Book”), including, but not limited to, the royalty percentages, details of the rights to be granted, and other provisions relating to delivery and production of the Book. Subject to the execution of a publishing contract between the Winning Entrant and Sponsor, the Winning Entrant will also be entitled to receive an advance of $50,000, payable against royalties. The Winning Entrant acknowledges that payment of any commission due to their agent, if applicable, will be deducted from this advance. The Winning Entrant is responsible for all taxes that may become payable because of the Prize (federal, state, city, sales), as well as the proper reporting or declaration of income and payment of taxes and related costs, including interest and/or penalties, to the appropriate governmental authorities.

• If the Winning Entrant and Sponsor fail to execute a publishing contract within 45 days of Sponsor’s receipt of the Winning Submission and/or Manuscript, the Winning Entrant will be free to submit the Winning Submission and/or Manuscript elsewhere without further obligations to Sponsor except for those set forth under these Official Rules.

• If Winning Entrant and Sponsor fail to execute a publishing contract, Sponsor will have the right, but not the obligation, to consider and select another of the Shortlisted Entrants as the Winning Entrant. The new Winning Entrant and not the original Winning Entrant will then be eligible to receive the Prize, and the original Winning Entrant may no longer refer to themselves as the winner of this Contest.

• The name of the Winning Entrant will be announced on February 15^th on Sponsor’s website. The Winning Entrant will be informed of their winning via email. Sponsor will have no liability for any winner notification that is lost, intercepted, delayed, or not received by the Winning Entrant for any reason. The Winning Entrant may be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility, Copyright Assignment, Liability Waiver, Non-Disclosure Agreement, and, unless prohibited, a Publicity Release (“Prize Claim Documents”), each on Sponsor’s standard terms and conditions, within five days of being notified as the Winning Entrant. If the Winning Entrant does not respond to the initial notification within the time period stated, all required Prize Claim Documents are not returned within the specified time period (if applicable), prize notification is returned as undeliverable, or the Winning Entrant is otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules, the Winning Entrant will forfeit their rights to the Prize and, at Sponsor’s discretion, an alternate Winning Entrant may be selected from the Shortlisted Entrants. The names of the Winning Entrant and/or the Shortlisted Entrants may be publicized in other media or on social media sites belonging to Sponsor.

• Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to (i) not select any Winning Entrant; (ii) not select any Shortlisted Entrants; (iii) cancel the Contest; or (iv) alter the details of the Prize or any other prize offered hereunder or judges without notice. No cash alternative or other alternatives to the prizes provided hereunder will be provided if Sponsor exercises any of its rights under this Section 4(i).

 

5. Submission Requirements. By entering into this Contest, each entrant represents and warrants that (a) their Submission is original; (b) they are the sole creator of the Submission; (c) they own the copyright in their Submission; (d) their Submission does not violate the rights of any third party or infringe or violate any law and, as of the date of the Submission, is not the subject of any actual or threatened litigation or claim; (e) their Submission does not and will not violate any applicable laws, and (f) their Submission is not and will not be defamatory, libelous, pornographic, or obscene. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any Submission if Sponsor believes the Submission to be potentially infringing, or in violation or potentially in violation of, a third party’s rights, or if it deems the Submission to be lacking in taste or quality or to otherwise be objectionable. Each entrant will defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Contest Entities from any actions, proceedings, damages, penalties, claims, demands, causes of action, liabilities, fees (including attorneys’ fees), costs, or losses of any kind of nature whatsoever in connection with, based upon, or arising out of any breach by such entrant of any of the representations and warranties made in this Section 5.

 

6. General Prize Conditions. The Prize will only be awarded if the Winning Entrant fully complies with these Official Rules. No interest will be paid on any prize. The Prize and any other prize offered hereunder are non-transferable and non-assignable, and non-cash prizes cannot be redeemed for cash. All details and other restrictions of the Prize and any other prize offered hereunder not specified in these Official Rules will be determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute the Prize or any other prize offered hereunder due to any reason whatsoever. The Prize and any other prize offered hereunder are awarded “as is,” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied.

 

7. Publicity. By participating in the Contest, each entrant irrevocably grants the Contest Entities and their respective successors, assigns, and licensees the right to use such entrant’s first name, state or residence, and Submission, in whole or in part, in any and all media now or hereafter known, in any manner and together with other materials, for any purpose, including, without limitation, advertising and promotional purposes or in connection with the Contest and/or other promotions conducted by the Contest Entities, worldwide in perpetuity, without further compensation or notice to or permission from such entrant, and each entrant hereby releases the Contest Entities from any liability with respect thereto. Contest Entities are not responsible for any unauthorized use of Submissions by third parties. Sponsor has no obligation to make use of the rights granted herein.

 

8. Sponsor Intellectual Property. Sponsor owns, solely and exclusively, all rights, title, and interest in its trademarks, logos, service marks and trade names (collectively, the “Trademarks”). No entrant may use any Trademark unless authorized in writing by Sponsor.

 

9. Limitation of Liability/General Liability Release/Force Majeure. Under no circumstances shall any Contest Entity be liable to any entrant for any indirect, incidental, consequential, special, or exemplary damages or losses or damages for any loss of data, profit, goodwill, anticipated savings, revenue, or business, in each case, whether based on contract, tort, or other legal theory. Sponsor’s aggregate liability to any entrant for any claim relating to these Official Rules, whether based on contract, tort, or other legal theory, will not exceed ten dollars (USD $10). Each entrant agrees that the Contest Entities (a) shall not be responsible nor liable for any losses, damages, or injuries of any kind resulting from participation in the Contest or any Contest-related activity, or from such entrant’s acceptance, receipt, possession, and/or misuse of the Prize or any other prizes; and (b) have not made any warranty, representation, or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, with respect to the Prize or any other prizes, including, without limitation, to quality or fitness for a particular purpose. The Contest Entities assume no responsibility for participation in the Contest or use of the Prize or any other prizes. The Contest Entities are not responsible for (i) lost, late, incomplete, damaged, inaccurate, stolen, delayed, misdirected, undelivered, or garbled Submissions or email or entry forms; (ii) lost, interrupted, or unavailable network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), website, or other connections, availability, accessibility, or miscommunications; (iii) failed computer, satellite, telephone, or cable transmissions, lines, or technical failure; (iv) jumbled, scrambled, delayed, or misdirected transmissions or computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures, or difficulties; (v) other errors or difficulties of any kind, whether human, mechanical, electronic, computer, mobile device, network, typographical, printing or otherwise, relating to or in connection with this Contest, including, without limitation, errors in these Official Rules or errors or difficulties which may occur in connection with the administration of the Contest, the processing or judging of Submissions, the announcement of the Prize or any other prize, or in any Contest-related materials; (vi) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by users, tampering, or hacking, or by any equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; or (vii) injury or damage to any person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in this Contest. Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, disqualify any individual who is found to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest, to be acting in violation of these Official Rules, or to be acting in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or with the intent to disrupt or undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest or to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person, and Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages (including attorneys’ fees) and other remedies from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Each entrant agrees that nothing in these Official Rules will prevent Sponsor from publishing any book by any third party, now and in the future, that is or may be similar in topic to that of any Submission. In the event Sponsor is prevented from awarding the Prize or continuing with the Contest as contemplated herein by any event beyond its control, including, but not limited to, fire, flood, natural or man-made epidemic, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, satellite or equipment failure, riot or civil disturbance, terrorist threat or activity, war (declared or undeclared) or any federal state or local governing law, order, regulation, public health crisis, order of any court or jurisdiction, or other cause not reasonably within Sponsor’s control (each, a “Force Majeure” event or occurrence), then Sponsor shall have the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Contest. If the Contest is terminated for Force Majeure before the designated end date, Sponsor will (if possible) select the Winning Entrant from all eligible, non-suspect Submissions received as of the date of the event of Force Majeure giving rise to the termination using the judging procedure set forth above or as otherwise deemed fair and appropriate by Sponsor.

10. Modification/Amendment. These Official Rules cannot be modified or amended in any way, except in a written document issued in accordance with law by a duly authorized representative of Sponsor. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Official Rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. If any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Official Rules shall otherwise remain in effect and shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.

 

11. Governing Law/Jurisdiction. ALL ISSUES AND QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE CONSTRUCTION, VALIDITY, INTERPRETATION, AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES OR THE RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF ENTRANTS OR SPONSOR IN CONNECTION WITH THE CONTEST SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT GIVING EFFECT TO ANY CHOICE OF LAW OR CONFLICT OF LAW RULES OR PROVISIONS THAT WOULD CAUSE THE APPLICATION OF ANY OTHER STATE’S LAWS.

12. Data Collection. Information provided in connection with this specific Contest will be used as set forth in these Official Rules or in accordance with Sponsor’s privacy policy, available at http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/privacy-policy/.

13. Winners List. To obtain a copy of any legally required list of winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Little, Brown Spark New Voices Award Winner List, Hachette Book Group, Inc., 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104, Attention: TK 5-519. All requests must be received by Sponsor within six (6) weeks after the end of the Submission Period.

 

14. Sponsor Contact Information. Hachette Book Group, Inc., 1290 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10104, Attention: TK 5-519.