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.

We are so excited and proud of Susan Juby, winner of the 69th Leacock Medal for Humour for her novel, The Republic of Dirt!

The medal and the accompanying prize were awarded June 11, 2016 at a gala dinner at Geneva Park Conference Centre near Orillia, Ontario. The dinner celebrated all three shortlisted authors, which included Terry Fallis for Poles Apart and Sarah Mian for When the Saints. 

Read Susan Juby’s thank you note here.