In recognition of the special contributions women writers make to our culture and society, The Rona Jaffe Foundation is giving its eleventh annual Writers' Awards under a program that identifies and supports women writers of exceptional talent. The emphasis is on those in the early stages of their writing careers.This unique program offers grants to writers of fiction, creative nonfiction, and poetry to make writing time available and provide assistance for such specific purposes as research, child care, and travel costs.

Six emerging women writers have been singled out for excellence by the Foundation and will receive awards of $10,000 each. The 2005 winners are Nan Cohen, Averill Curdy, Rebecca Curtis, Frances Hwang, Aryn Kyle, and Asali Solomon.

Rona Jaffe established The Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Awards program in 1995. It is the only national literary awards program dedicated to supporting women writers exclusively. Since the program began, the Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 to a total of seventy-four women.

Ms. Jaffe is the author of sixteen books, including Class Reunion, Family Secrets, and The Road Taken; a classic children's book, The Last of the Wizards; and her most recent novel, The Room-Mating Season (2003). Her 1958 best-selling first novel, The Best of Everything, was reissued by Penguin in June 2005.

Note: The Foundation does
not accept unsolicited
applications or nominations.