Writers' Trust Names Five Finalists for $50,000 Fiction Award
This morning, the Writers’ Trust of Canada announced the five finalists for the 2020 Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize.
The $50,000 prizewinner will be announced on Wednesday, November 18 via a digital event called "The Writers’ Trust Awards: Books of the Year Edition." The event will also include the announcement of the 2020 winner of the Hilary Weston Writers' Trust Prize for Nonfiction.
Writers' Trust Fiction Award 2020 shortlist:
- Gil Adamson for Ridgerunner (House of Anansi Press)
- Zsuzsi Gartner for The Beguiling (Hamish Hamilton Canada)
- Michelle Good for Five Little Indians (Harper Perennial)
- Thomas King for Indians on Vacation (HarperCollins Canada)
- Maria Reva for Good Citizens Need Not Fear (Knopf Canada)
Each of Adamson, Gartner, and King are decorated authors with numerous prizes on their C.V.s. The list also features two intriguing literary debuts by Good and Reva, making for a varied and interesting mix.
In contrast with the long- and shortlists for the other major Canadian fiction award, the Giller Prize, only one finalist for the Writers' Trust Fiction Prize is published by an independent Canadian publishing house; Gil Adamson's Ridgerunner, published by Toronto's House of Anansi Press. It is also the only title to be featured on both prize lists, though both Good and King appeared on the Giller longlist.
Finalists for the prize were selected by a jury composed of writers Elisabeth de Mariaffi, Waubgeshig Rice, and Yasuko Thanh. In total, 123 titles were submitted by 61 publishers.
This year’s "Writers’ Trust Awards: Books of the Year Edition" is made possible by presenting partner the Humber School for Writers as well as numerous corporate, foundation, and individual sponsors. Media partner The Globe and Mail provides additional support as does project partner Indigo Books & Music. The project is partially funded by the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage.
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For more information about the Writers' Trust Awards event, and the finalists and their books, please visit the Writers' Trust website.