The Catholic Arts and Letters Award (CALA) for Excellence in Achievement is awarded to individuals who have spent a good portion of their lives using their God-given talents to foster the creation and dissemination of great Catholic literature, or who have helped evangelize the culture through the life-long use of good Catholic writing. Honorees are presented with a lifetime membership in the CWG.

The CWG chose to honor Mr. Keck for developing and hosting “EWTN Bookmark,” a series spotlighting Catholic books and authors. The show, which has been running for fourteen years has been a showcase of Catholic literature, highlighting the creation of new, great works of Catholic writing that inspire and encourage the faithful. The producer of “EWTN Bookmark,” Lee South, was also recognized by the CWG for her contribution to Doug’s commitment to promoting Catholic literature and authors. The Eternal World Television Global Catholic Network (EWTN) is the largest religious media network in the world and is available in over 200 million television households in more than 140 countries and territories.

“I appreciate all the great Catholic authors that are here,” said Doug Keck, upon receiving the award. “They make us look good at EWTN. They give us material we can really talk about. It’s a great joy for all of us at ETWN, led by Mother Angelica, that our mission can be fulfilled through ETWN’s ‘Bookmark’ series.”

In 2010, the CWG awarded the first CALA Award for Excellence, and in 2011 it presented the first CALAs for Fiction. While the Award for Excellence is selected by the CWG’s leadership, there are three submission categories for the 2013 CALA for Fiction: children’s, young adult, and adult. Submission deadlines are typically at the end of April of each year. Authors can learn more at www.catholicwritersguild.com.

The CWG was founded in 2007 by a core group of five Catholic authors who saw a need for a Catholic professional writers’ organization. “The Catholic Writers Guild’s mission is to lift up Catholic writers,” says CWG President Ann Margaret Lewis. “It hopes to encourage them and embolden them to create great art and compete in the world of ideas. By promoting the work of Catholic authors, Mr. Keck has, for fourteen years, furthered the mission of our organization.”

The organization currently has more than 250 members and hosts two conferences for Catholic writers each year. The Catholic Writers Conference LIVE! is held in conjunction with the Catholic Marketing Network Trade Show, and an on-line conference takes place each Spring at http://catholicwritersconference.com. These conferences offer Catholic writers opportunities to meet and share their faith with fellow writers from across the globe. Both events include “pitch sessions,” which provide authors an opportunity to meet one-on-one with publishing professionals and pitch their writing projects, as well as educational workshops on the art of writing, book promotion, and the business side of writing.

For more information about the CWG, their conferences, the CALA Award winners and submission guidelines, visit www.catholicwritersguild.com.

Photo credit: Michael J. Russell