B.C. authors dominate Writers' Trust Awards
Annabel Lyon, whose debut novel The Golden Mean has been widely recognized with a host of book-award nominations this season, nabbed the $25,000 fiction prize.
The New Westminster, B.C. writer began working on The Golden Mean, a fictional recreation of the life of Aristotle and his one-time pupil Alexander the Great, about eight years ago.
"In this alarmingly confident and transporting debut novel, Lyon offers us that rarest of treats: A book about philosophy, about the power of ideas, that chortles and sings like an earthy romance," the three member jury wrote of the book.
The $25,000 non-fiction honour went to Salt Spring Island writer Brian Brett for his book Trauma Farm: A Rebel History of Rural Life.
Jurors hailed the B.C. writer's book as "a lively, well-researched blend of memoir and socio-political commentary."
The remaining finalists for the fiction and non-fiction prizes received $2,500 each.
Up-and-coming author Yasuko Thanh of Victoria made it a B.C. hat trick by snagging the $10,000 Journey Prize for her story Floating like the Dead.
The prize is awarded for a short story or novel-in-progress by an emerging writer. The Vancouver Review, which published Thanh's story, receives $2,000.
Bergen, Jocelyn's oeuvre celebrated
Organizers presented Winnipeg author David Bergen with its $25,000 notable author award, praising him as "one of [Canada's] best modern writers," while author-illustrator Marthe Jocelyn — who divides her time between Stratford, Ont. and New York — received the $20,000 children's literature award.
The Writers' Trust also recognized the committee that organizes the annual Politics and the Pen fundraiser with its award for distinguished contribution.
"This always sold-out Ottawa gala organized by a volunteer committee attracts cabinet ministers, senior politicians and prominent writers, and has raised an astonishing $1.25 million for the Writers' Trust since 1997," the group said in its citation.
The Writers' Trust of Canada is a non-profit organization that raises money to support authors across the country.