Raeann Brown has made the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize longlist for Bedtime in Nunatsiavut.

The winner of the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have their work published on CBC Books and have the opportunity to attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.

The shortlist will be announced on April 22 and the winner will be announced on April 29.

Born in Montreal and growing up in Postville, N.L., Raeann Brown now lives with her family in Wabush, N.L., where she owns her own business, Inuky Glass Art and Engraving. Inspired by her culture from an early age, Brown has been creating art for as long as she can remember, originally starting with poetry and beginning to learn the art of glass etching in 2012. Brown's work has been featured in the traveling exhibition SakKijâjuk: Art and Craft from Nunatsiavut and the 2019 Labrador Winter Games. In 2018, she was asked to create a commemorative plaque for residential school survivors in the community of North West River. Brown has four daughters, two dogs and a husband. When she's not creating, she enjoys kayaking and camping.

"An Indigenous fairytale of dreams."

"Growing up in Nunatsiavut, in a small village with a population of 250, visiting other communities was like visiting a whole new world, and I often dreamt of going further. As I grew older and moved away, I realize now how similar each of our communities were and how special and unique Nunatsiavut really is in comparison to the rest of our province and even country. I think I had the incredible opportunity to grow up in one of the most beautiful destinations on earth, so as Nya did dream and travel, she always ended up back in her own bed. I think that is like me, I travel and I dream, but I will always long to end up back home."

It was bedtime in Nunatsiavut.

Nya has many questions for her Anânak soon after the sun goes down.

"Anânak, why can't I fly?" asked Nya.

Anânak pondered for a moment. "Well," she began as she stroked Nya's hair, "perhaps you will become a bird tonight in your dreams."

"Perhaps," said Nya.

Her Anânak pulled her close and touched her nose to Nya's, rubbing gently. "A Kunik to help you dream," she said.

Nya closed her eyes and began to imagine she was a bird as she drifted off to sleep.

The winner of the 2021 CBC Short Story Prize will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, have their work published on CBC Books and attend a two-week writing residency at the Banff Centre for the Arts and Creativity. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and have their work published on CBC Books.

The 2021 CBC Poetry Prize is open for submissions until May 31, 2021. The 2022 CBC Short Story Prize will open in September and the 2022 CBC Nonfiction Prize will open in January 2022.