Maurice Prize
The Maurice Prize, a literary prize celebrating unpublished fiction, was established by John Lescroart, and has been awarded annually since 2005. The prize is hosted jointly by Lescroart and the University of California, Davis English Department. The prize is a gift from Lescroart in honor of his father, Maurice, for whom the contest is named. The prize was increased from $5,000 to $10,000 beginning in 2022.
It is awarded for the best sustained work of fiction submitted by alumni who have not yet published or had a book-length manuscript in fiction accepted for publication by the contest deadline. Literary merit is the predominant criterion in selecting the winning entry. It is Lescroart's hope to inspire UC Davis graduates to publish their literary work.