Winners announced in Minnesota Author Project awards

The Minnesota Author Projects awards, an honor for self-published writers, honored Steve South and Sarah Hanley on Thursday night in St. Paul.

Now in its second year, the Project honors one writer for adults and one for young adults annually with a $1,000 prize. Winners are Steve South for his young-adult book, "The Queen of Steel and Fire," and Sarah Hanley for her novel for adults, "Matka." South and Hanley will be honored at a reception in Nashville, Tenn.; will be included in a full-page spread in "Library Journal," and will be given the opportunity to share their books at libraries across the state. Finalists for the prizes were Diane Dettman for "Courageous Footsteps" and Jenna Zark for "The Beat on Ruby's Street" in young-adult, and Brian Lutterman for "Nightfall" and Marcia Neely for "Deep Grass Roots" in the adult category. The Minnesota Author Projects is a program of MELSA, the Metropolitan Library Service Agency. Some of the finalists and winners will be at the Twin Cities Book Festival at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Oct. 12.