BATH – Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance has announced the winners of the 2008 Maine Literary Awards. The awards began in 2006 to recognize Maine’s literary talent.

The public is invited to an award ceremony at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 3, in the Glickman Family Library, University of Southern Maine, Portland. Mary J. Herman will be the master of ceremonies.

Literary award winners are:

Published books: fiction

Eleanor Lincoln Morse for “An Unexpected Forest,” Portland.

Published books: nonfiction

Meredith Hall, “Without A Map,” Pownal.

Honorable mentions

Jaed Coffin, “A Chant to Soothe Wild Elephants,” Brunswick.

Carl Little, “Paintings of Maine,” Mount Desert.

Robin Bowman, “It’s Complicated,” North Yarmouth.

Published books: poetry

Henry Braun, “Loyalty,” Weld.

Honorable mentions

Alice James Books for Cole Swensen’s “The Glass Age,” Farmington.

Stuart Kestenbaum, “Prayers and Run-On Sentences,” Deer Isle.

Jeffrey Thomson, “Celestial Emporium,” Farmington.

Published books: Maine-themed

Downeast Books for Thomas Mark and Lee Ann Szelog’s “Our Point of View: 14 Years at a Maine Lighthouse,” Camden.

Honorable mentions

Downeast Books for Cynthia Finnemore Simond’s “Superb Maine Soups,” Camden.

Downeast Books for “The Story of Sugarloaf,” Camden.

Published books: self published

Ken Nye, “From the Heart,” Freeport.

Honorable mentions

Karin Spitfire, “Standing with Trees,” Belfast.

Sherri Eldridge, “New England Summertime Cooking,” Salsbury Cove.

Published books: children’s/ young adult

Carrie Jones, “Tips on Having a Gay (ex) Boyfriend,” Ellsworth.

Honorable mentions

Sandra Dutton, “Dear Miss Perfect,” Boothbay Harbor.

Downeast Books for Karel Hayes’ “The Winter Visitor,” Camden.

Unpublished: adult fiction

Joan Dempsey, “Leaving the Ledges,” New Gloucester.

Honorable mentions

Sandell Morse, “Last-Minute Car,” York.

Sherry Pineau, “Sand,” Fairfield.

Unpublished: adult nonfiction

Fritz Burke, “Badrobbins,” Appleton.

Unpublished: adult poetry

Martin Steingesser, “Compline,” Portland.

Honorable mentions

Sarah Goodman, “They Call it Moonshine,” Peaks Island.

Robert Chute, “Crows,” Brunswick.

Maureen Ann Connolly, “Fifth Avenue Shoe,” Cumberland Foreside.

Unpublished: youth/high school fiction

Kelly Robinson, “Ketamine,” Scarborough.

Unpublished: youth/high school nonfiction

Jennifer Marie Mills, “Memoir,” Scarborough.

Unpublished: youth/high school poetry

Amelia Nielson, “Where I’m From,” Edgecomb.

Honorable mentions

Kirsten Lie-Nielsen, “Glitter and Glamour,” Waldoboro.

Goran Johanson, “What’s in My Journal,” Edgecomb.