KNOXVILLE — It is time again to nominate authors for induction into the East Tennessee Writer’s Hall of Fame. Friends of Literacy (FOL) is currently seeking nominations. FOL supports authors whose contributions entertain, inspire, and inform us through the written word.

For the 12th year, nominations are being sought for five categories: lifetime achievement, fiction, non-fiction, poetry and social media. An independent panel of judges will evaluate the nominees based on recognition within the writer’s field, longevity, quality, and volume of work. All nominees must have either been born in, currently reside in, or have a body of work related to the East Tennessee region.

If you would like to nominate an author, please visit www.friendsofliteracy.org for a nomination form. Nominations are due June 25th. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony on Thursday, October 22, 2015, at the Lighthouse Knoxville. Past Hall of Fame inductees include Cormac McCarthy, Mary Bozeman Hodges, Nikki Giovanni, Marilyn Kallet, Jon Jefferson, Ina Hughs, Carson Brewer, James Agee, Sam Venable, Wilma Dykeman, Cynthia Moxley, Jim Dykes and Jack Neely. A complete listing of past inductees is available at www.friendsofliteracy.org.

The mission of Friends of Literacy is to support the delivery of free high quality literacy programs and related services to adults in Knox County who are inadequately educated to meet the challenges of daily life. Working in partnership with area literacy organizations, our goal is to help provide basic education and life-skill training so that our students become better workers, parents, and citizens. Our community outreach includes student recruitment, referral, and advocacy, as well as recruitment and training of volunteer tutors.