The Eileen Kernaghan Award

(EKA)

The EKA is dedicated to supporting speculative writers from British Columbia and the West Coast, and to celebrating excellence in speculative short fiction and poetry.

Created to honour the legacy of Eileen Kernaghan and her contributions to the field, the award recognizes work that explores the strange, the lyrical, and the unknown.

Recipients of this juried award will have created stories and poems that unsettle, enchant, and endure, work that blurs the line between the real and the unreal, and carries a sense of wonder, darkness, or transformation. It seeks writing that lingers: bold, atmospheric, and unafraid to cross boundaries.

Support the EKA

Those wishing to contribute toward the long-term growth of the award, juror honorariums, commemorative pins, plaques, and future initiatives may do so here.

Support the Eileen Kernaghan Award

Eligibility

Open to Canadian speculative writers living in British Columbia.

Submitted works are not required to be set in British Columbia or the West Coast.

This criterion is intended to be inclusive rather than restrictive. If you’re not sure, submit your work and a write-up about your connection to the West Coast.

Publication Requirements

Eligible submissions must have been previously published in the calendar year before the award (January 1 to December 31).

This includes work published independently, in small presses, or in literary magazines.

Submissions will be reviewed anonymously. When submitting, writers are asked not to include identifying information within the manuscript itself.

How to Submit

Send your submission to:
eileenkernaghanaward@gmail.com

Subject line: EKA Submission – [Your Name] – [Category]

Please include your name and contact information in the body of the email, not within the attached manuscript.

Submission Guidelines

Short Fiction

  • Maximum: 7,500 words (One submission per author)

  • Attached standard manuscript format preferred (.doc, .docx, or PDF)

  • Do not paste stories or poems into the body of the email.

Poetry

  • Up to 5 poems per submission (one submission per author)

  • Maximum: 50 lines per poem.

  • Submission Notes

    • One submission per category per entrant.

    • Please include the title of the work in the file name.

    • Eligible work published in Polar Borealis and Polar Starlight during the year will automatically be considered for the award.

    • Writers may instead choose to submit a different eligible work for consideration.

    • Additional eligible submissions from speculative writers connected to British Columbia and the West Coast are welcome.

    • The first EKA award season will take place in 2027. Eligible submissions must be published during the 2027 calendar year, including original works appearing in the September and October 2027 issues of Polar Borealis and Polar Starlight.

    • The submission deadline for the 2027 award season is January 31, 2028.

  • AI

    Submissions must be the original work of the author.
    Work generated wholly or in part by artificial intelligence is not eligible.

    The use of AI-assisted tools for editing or proofreading is acceptable, provided the creative work itself is authored by the submitting writer.

    By submitting, authors confirm that their work complies with this policy.

    Winners in each category will receive:

    • A cash prize of $300.00 (e-transfer)

    • An EKA commemorative plaque

    • An EKA commemorative pin

    Honourable mentions may also be awarded at the discretion of the jurors.

Submission Details

Please include:

  • Your name

  • Category (short fiction or poetry)

  • A brief bio (50–100 words)

  • Publication details (where and when the work first appeared and any relevant connections to BC and the West Coast).

Juror Interest

The Eileen Kernaghan Award is guided by a small panel of jurors with experience in speculative fiction and poetry. Jurors will receive a small honorarium of between 100.00 and 200.00

Jurors may wish to volunteer, and in those cases, the honorarium will be used to fund future awards.

We welcome expressions of interest from writers, editors, and literary professionals who may wish to serve as jurors in future years.

Juror Responsibilities

Jurors are asked to:

  • Read a curated shortlist of submissions in their category

  • Select a winner and, where appropriate, honourable mentions

  • Contribute a brief comment or citation for the winning work (optional)

  • Submissions are reviewed and shortlisted before final judging.

Time Commitment

  • Shortlists typically consist of 8–12 works per category

  • Judging takes place over a defined period (approximately 3–4 weeks)

Honorarium

Jurors receive a modest honorarium in recognition of their time and expertise ( 100.00 -200.00)

Areas of Interest

We are particularly interested in jurors with experience in:

  • Speculative short fiction

  • Speculative poetry

  • Editing or publishing in the speculative genre

  • Jurors serve on a rotating basis and may be drawn from across Canada and the broader speculative literary community. Jurors are not eligible for the award during their year of service.

Please email:
eileenkernaghanaward@gmail.com

Subject line:

EKA Juror Interest – [Your Name]

Include:

  • A brief bio

  • Relevant experience

  • Areas of expertise (fiction, poetry, or both)

    __________________________________________________________

  • The Eileen Kernaghan Award is privately funded. We welcome community support through donations, crowdfunding initiatives, and grant funding.

  • Future categories and initiatives may include longer works and collections.

  • For more information about Eileen Kernaghan, click here.

    Award timeline

  • Submission Deadline:

    January 31

    Juror Reading & Deliberation:

    February → mid-March

    Finalists Announced (optional):

    Mid-March

    Winners Announced:

    Late March