Author Application
The 2025 author application will be available from January 20 – May 15, 2025.
The 44th annual Kentucky Book Festival will be held on Saturday, November 1, 2025 in Lexington, KY. Author participation will be by invitation only. To be considered for inclusion in our lineup, all authors must complete and submit this online application and a finished copy of the featured title book. The deadline to apply is midnight on Friday, May 15, 2025.
Following the application deadline, the festival committee will review all applications and select the authors and titles to be included in the 2025 Kentucky Book Festival. Only complete online applications with finished copies submitted by the deadline will be considered.
Authors who apply independently and are invited to participate are responsible for their own travel and expenses related to attending the event.
Important Dates*
January 20, 2025: Applications open
May 15, 2025: Deadline for applications (midnight)
June 1 – July 2025: Author invitations issued via mail or email
August 1, 2025: Deadline for invited authors to confirm participation
November 1, 2025: Kentucky Book Festival
*subject to change
Submission Guidelines:
- Only ONE title can be submitted as the featured title (can be a forthcoming title at the time of application); all other titles will be considered backlist.
- The submitted/featured title should be published from July 1, 2024 onward and not a selected title from the 2024 KBF.
- The submitted title should have an ISBN and be in publication and available to order by September 15, 2025 with delivery receipt prior to October 27, 2025.
- Textbooks, ebooks, and technical guides/manuals will not be considered.
- Self-published books may be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Please review the festival’s anti-harassment policy here.
- Submitted materials cannot be returned and become the property of Kentucky Humanities/the Kentucky Book Festival.
- Complete application includes mailing a copy of the finished book to the address below. If finished copies are not available, you may send an advanced reader copy (ARC) by mail to the address below or by email with a subject line including the author last name, feature book title, and “KBF25 application.”
To complete your application, fill out the application form and mail ONE COPY of a finished book or ARC (or a sample chapter if book is in pre-production) to:
Kentucky Humanities
ATTN. Kentucky Book Festival
206 E. Maxwell St.
Lexington, KY 40508
Note: Digital ARCs are acceptable if a physical book copy is not available and can be emailed to the director. We are unable to return submitted materials. Incomplete forms will not be reviewed.