Wonderful news for Ian Brown, whose memoir Sixty was shortlisted for the Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction. Author of the multiple award-winning book The Boy in the Moon, Brown documents and examines what sixty means psychically, intellectually, and psychologically.

Finalists were selected by a three-member jury composed of author and journalist Carolyn Abraham, journalism professor and author Stephen Kimber, and nonfiction writer and folklorist Emily Urquhart. In total, 95 titles were submitted by 50 publishers for consideration for the 2016 prize.

The Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction is awarded for literary excellence in the category of nonfiction. Finalist works will, in the opinion of the jury, demonstrate a distinctive voice, as well as a persuasive and compelling command of tone, narrative, style, and technique. This award succeeds the Writers’ Trust Nonfiction Prize, which was established in 1997.

We are thrilled to see two exceptional authors on the Ottawa Book Awards shortlist, bestselling author Roy MacGregor in the category of Non-Fiction and Giller Prize winner Elizabeth Hay in the category of Fiction. MacGregor’s Canoe Country, published by Vintage Canada, chronicles the relationship between a country and its canoes. And from Elizabeth Hay His Whole Life, published by Emblem Editions, tells a captivating coming-of-age story set in mid 1990s Quebec.

For over 30 years, the Ottawa Book Awards / Le Prix du livre d’Ottawa have paid tribute to Ottawa’s outstanding writers by shining the spotlight on the top English and French books published in the previous year.

Westwood Creative Artists is pleased to congratulate Yann Martel, winner of the 2016 Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg Award for Literary Excellence for his body of work. Martel is the author of Life of Pi, the global bestseller and winner of the Man Booker. His most recent work, The High Mountains of Portugal, a New York Times bestseller, has sold in over 25 territories.

The Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg Award for Literary Excellence recognizes Saskatchewan writers who have written a substantial body of literary work and had a significant impact on writing in Saskatchewan. The prize consists of an award of $10,000 donated by Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg and a framed print of a work of art by Saskatchewan artist Dorothy Knowles.

Westwood Creative Artists, Canada’s largest literary agency representing more than 400 writers, is looking for a candidate to fill a full-time 12 week internship position, beginning Monday January 30^th and ending Friday April 21^st.

A considerable amount of time during this internship will be spent working with WCA’s  international rights director and rights assistant in preparation for the London Book Fair in March. There will also be the opportunity to work with other WCA agents and at the reception desk. In the rights department, the intern will be involved in catalogue proofreading, general preparation and follow-up for the London Book Fair. There will also be some data entry and other administrative tasks. While working with individual agents, the intern will understand how the agent manages his or her authors, learn about Canadian and US submissions, and provide needed support in a varied number of capacities. At the reception desk, the intern will really be at the “nerve centre” of the agency. Tasks will include daily administration work, reading submissions, and receiving authors and publishers as they arrive at the agency.

We offer a competitive honorarium of $1500, a lively and congenial work environment at Spadina and Harbord, and an excellent opportunity to gain an overview of the publishing industry in Canada and abroad through the lens of the literary agent and the writers we represent.

The ideal candidate will be eager to learn, highly organized, energetic, and have a positive outlook. Strong proofreading and computer skills required; previous office experience and knowledge of the publishing industry an asset; passionate attention to detail and accuracy a must. Please send your cover letter, resume, and references to the attention of Carolyn Forde at Carolyn@wcaltd.com at your earliest convenience or by December 12^th. We appreciate all applications but will only reply to candidates selected for an interview.

WCA is proud to have two authors on the 2016 City of Victoria Butler Book Prize shortlist. Tricia Dower for her novel Becoming Lin, a powerful story of self-discovery and sacrifice set in the socio-political chaos of 1960s rural America. And Pauline Holdstock for The Hunter and the Wild Girl, a dark fairy tale about an unlikely pairing, written in prose compared to Charles Perrault and Gormenghast.

The sole Canadian on the 2016 Dayton Literary Peace Prize shortlist is politician, broadcaster, and WCA author, Wab Kinew. The Reason You Walk, nominated in the non-fiction category, is a story of father-son reconciliation, pain and forgiveness, and the future of aboriginal peoples.       

The US-based international literary prize nominates books that help the reader explore other cultures, religions and political views . The first and only annual US literary award to acknowledge literature as a tool for promoting peace, the Dayton Literary Peace Prize is now in its 11th year.

WCA is thrilled to congratulate Magazine journalist and author, Ann Walmsley winner of the 2016 Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction for her fascinating book, The Prison Book Club. Despite a violent attack on the streets of London, Ann brings books – and hopefully redemption – to a group of men in a medium security prison.

First awarded in 1991, The Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction recognizes a Canadian writer of a first of second published book with a Canadian significance. The only award of its kind will celebrate 25 years this summer.

We are excited to announce Ann Y.K. Choi’s novel Kay’s Luck Coin Variety has been shortlisted for a 2016 Toronto Book Award.

Established by the Toronto City Council in 1974 the Toronto Book Award acknowledges authors of books that have literary merit and are evocative of Toronto.

What the Judges said about Choi’s coming-of-age novel:

“Ann Y.K. Choi’s debut novel is a vivid depiction of two generations clashing and caring for each other on a dangerous street corner in 1980s Toronto. Mary is determined to evade her fate, which means making some risky choices. Kay’s Lucky Coin Variety is unsentimental, bracing and beautifully balanced, a story that reveals the true costs of shifting between two names and two cultures.”

Congrats to internationally bestselling author Gail Anderson-Dargatz whose book The Spawning Grounds was voted number one favourite adult fiction for September by Canadian librarians. Rooted in the Thompson-Shuswap region of British Columbia, The Spawning Grounds tells the story of a troubled family, a torn nation, and a dying river.

Loan Stars, a readers’ advisory service brings together the Canadian Urban Libraries Council,  BookNet Canada, the British Columbia Library Association Readers’ Advisory Committee, the Ontario Library Association Readers’ Advisory Committee, library vendors, independent Canadian publishers, and multi-national publishers. Using an online catalogue tool, library staff nominate their favourite adult titles, the most popular titles are marketed to libraries and library users.

Westwood Creative Artists, Canada’s largest literary agency representing more than 400 writers, is looking for a candidate to fill a full-time 12 week internship position, beginning Monday August 22^nd and ending Friday November 11^th.

A considerable amount of time during this internship will be spent working with WCA’s  international rights director and rights assistant in preparation for the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. There will also be the opportunity to work with other WCA agents and at the reception desk. In the rights department, the intern will be involved in catalogue proofreading, general preparation and follow-up for the Frankfurt Book Fair. There will also be some data entry and other administrative tasks. While working with individual agents, the intern will understand how the agent manages his or her authors, learn about Canadian and US submissions, and provide needed support in a varied number of capacities. At the reception desk, the intern will really be at the “nerve centre” of the agency. Tasks will include daily administration work, reading submissions, and receiving authors and publishers as they arrive at the agency.

We offer a competitive honorarium of $1500, a lively and congenial work environment at Spadina and Harbord, and an excellent opportunity to gain an overview of the publishing industry in Canada and abroad through the lens of the literary agent and the writers we represent.

The ideal candidate will be eager to learn, highly organized, energetic, and have a positive outlook. Strong proofreading and computer skills required; previous office experience and knowledge of the publishing industry an asset; passionate attention to detail and accuracy a must. Please send your cover letter, resume, and references to the attention of Carolyn Forde at Carolyn@wcaltd.com at your earliest convenience or by July 18^th. We appreciate all applications but will only reply to candidates selected for an interview.