Folks who organize their fiction reading around the annual Texas Book Festival will soon have a new hub for finding new reads year-round. The festival is launching a new publishing imprint called Burro Libro Press. In addition to publishing books, it will also award prizes to emerging writers with "strong Texas ties" to help them get their work out into the world.

Burro Libro Press has editorial support from Deep Vellum Publishing, with additional support from Letterpress Play and the Tejemos Foundation, a press release says.

The imprint is currently looking for debut authors in literary fiction. Authors have from June 1-30 to submit their manuscripts.

Books accepted in this first cycle will have a 2,000-copy inaugural print run and come with an audiobook, a $5,000 cash prize, and an invitation to appear as a featured author in the 2027 Texas Book Festival. That will also mean being included in festival promotions.

More information about eligibility can be found in an FAQ here. In short, books must be in English, ranging from 120-400 pages double-spaced in 12-point font, unpublished in their full form, and submitted anonymously with a $15 fee. The publisher also prohibits manuscripts generated using any artificial intelligence.

This is a big deal for writers, but it could have a big impact on readers, too. The imprint's goals include strengthening Texas' literary culture and amplifying emerging writers. This could mean better diversity in fiction, and topics and settings that Texans rarely see explored in our current literary landscape.

There were 48 literary fiction authors at the 2025 Texas Book Festival. Readers can browse their names and see the sessions they spoke in on the Texas Book Festival website.