The Des Moines Public Library Foundation has announced the winners of the 25th annual Iowa Author Awards. Criteria for the award include literary merit, originality and impact. The winners will be honored at a ceremony on Oct. 9 at the World Food Prize Hall of Laureates. Recently retired DMPL executive director Sue Woody will also be honored. For more information or tickets to the event, click here.

The winners are:

• Kaveh Akbar, a nationally acclaimed poet and novelist, known for his deeply lyrical work that explores themes of spirituality, addiction, and identity.
• Kali White VanBaale is the author of several novels, including “The Good Divide” and the acclaimed “The Space Between,” which received the American Book Award. Her writing often delves into family, tragedy and redemption, drawing on her Iowa roots.
• Vince Gotera, professor emeritus of English at the University of Northern Iowa, is a poet, editor, and literary scholar whose work bridges cultural identities and artistic forms. In 2024, he was named Iowa’s poet laureate.
• John Domini (posthumous) was a prolific writer, critic and teacher known for his genre-defying fiction and fearless literary experimentation. He leaves behind a legacy of boundary-pushing storytelling and mentorship in the literary community.