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Saskatchewan Book Awards
Shortlist 2005 Press Release

(2005 Shortlist)

NEWS RELEASE                                                                                                    

October 19, 2005

Centennial Sparks Saskatchewan Writers!

On October 19 the Saskatchewan Book Awards announced its Shortlist of award nominees.  With more than 42 authors and 13 publishers from Saskatchewan vying for twelve awards, it appears that Saskatchewan writers have caught Centennial fever, first evidenced by the flood of entries to the 13th Annual Saskatchewan Book Awards.  The number of entries this year broke all previous records with 221 entries – 10% higher than last year’s record breaking number of entries. 

“The Awards Gala promises to be an evening of suspense as some of Saskatchewan’s best known authors contend for the Book of the Year along with newcomer Neal McLeod,” says the SBA’s new Executive Director, Glenda James.  Sandra Birdsell’s Children of the Day, Maggie Siggins’ Bitter Embrace, and Crows, a new book by last year’s double award winner Candace Savage, share space on the Book of the Year shortlist with Steven Ross Smith’s fluttertongue 3: disarray and McLeod’s Songs to Kill a Wîhtikow.  

For the first time, the winner of the Book of the Year award will be taking home a larger prize than winners of the other awards, thanks to the generosity of its new sponsor, The Co-operators.

The Award winners will be announced at the annual Gala on Friday, November 25 at the Delta Hotel Regina.   The guest speaker will be Lorna Crozier whose poetry has won numerous awards, most notably for the book Inventing the Hawk, which won the Governor General’s Award for Poetry.  Books in Canada called her “one of the most original poets writing in English.”

Saskatchewan publishers make an impressive showing, with the Canadian Plains Research Center receiving 7 nominations.  Its most ambitious publication, The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan, is shortlisted in three categories. Nature Saskatchewan’s publication, Prairie Phoenix: The Red Lily in Saskatchewan, has 5 nominations.  Hagios Press, a small, new Saskatchewan publisher, has 10 nominations for its books.

Finalists will read at the following Shortlist Events:

Assiniboia:  November  4, 7:30 p.m. - Wine & Cheese Reception, Prince of Wales Recreation and Cultural Centre, for further information call Assiniboia Public Library at 306-642-3136.

Saskatoon:  November 6, 11:30 a.m. – Brunch, Bessborough Hotel, Tickets: 306-717-2157

Regina:  November 13, 11:30 a.m. – Brunch, Hotel Saskatchewan tickets@bookawards.sk.ca

SBA is grateful for funding from the SK Arts Board, Cities of Regina, Saskatoon, SaskCulture, Saskatchewan Culture, Youth & Recreation and Canada Council for the Arts.

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For more information:

Glenda James

Executive Director

Phone: 306-569-1585

director@bookawards.sk.ca