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San Diego Book Awards go on hiatus

Chet Cunningham, founder of the San Diego Book Awards
Chet Cunningham, founder of the San Diego Book Awards, in 2003.
(Roni Galgano / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

The organization, started in 1994, announces closure ‘until further notice’

The San Diego Book Awards have turned their final page, at least for now.

Started in 1994, the non-profit organization said in an email and on its website that it “will close its doors until further notice.” No reason was given.

“Who knows what the next years may bring?” the announcement said.

The awards were started by the late Chet Cunningham, a prolific writer of some 450 books in a variety of genres who wanted to honor and encourage local authors, both published and unpublished. Cunningham died in 2017.

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Winners and finalists were chosen every year in about a dozen categories, including best fiction, non-fiction, mystery, poetry, memoir, and children’s book. A “best in show” prize was also awarded, named after Theodor Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, who penned many of his popular and influential children’s books in his home office on Mount Soledad.

Last year’s Geisel winner was Corey Lynn Fayman for his mystery, “Ballast Point Breakdown.”

This time of year, Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, is typically when entries would be submitted. Winners would be announced the following June.

The awards drew entries from a mix of authors, from first-timers to veterans whose books have been reviewed in the New York Times and other leading publications. There was a fee to enter. Winners received trophies and could buy “San Diego Book Awards” stickers to adorn copies of their books.

For most of its history, the contest was open only to authors who lived in San Diego County. Recently, it was expanded to include writers from all over.

Like many non-profits, the organization relied on volunteers to read and judge the submissions every year, and in its announcement about the closure, the group singled them out for thanks.

It added, “Our social media and citywide presence in the publishing industry, our patronage of the arts in San Diego, and our honored winners have been such an inspiration, despite any difficulty (the group) has faced. Chet Cunningham would have been proud of what his organization accomplished.”

Cunningham faced some lean financial years while he was running the group. He would seek donations from people in the literary community, telling them that an anonymous donor had offered to match their gifts.

He was the anonymous donor.

After he died, the group created an annual prize for the best unpublished book and named it after him.


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