Big Money

So Tupelo Press' cash award for this year's Dorset Prize is $10,000. Not that any of my manuscripts have ever fared well over there in the past. I like many of the books they've published, especially Jennifer Michael Hecht's The Next Ancient World and Anna Rabinowitz's Darkling.

Last year's Dorset Prize was $3,000. This is a hefty increase. It makes me wonder how they're able to offer $10,000 this year. Do they collect enough in contest fees where they can pay the prize, the judge, printing costs and do marketing for the book? Did they get a grant that I haven't heard of? Are their books sales that good? I'm not trying to imply suspicion, just curious. Good gracious, I heard of five figure advances before--from my non-fiction and novelist friends.