Saskatchewan Book Awards 2021: Shortlists

The shortlists for the 2021 Saskatchewan Book Awards have been announced! You can find all of the finalists after the jump below.

The awards are divided into several categories to celebrate the best Saskatchewan writing from the past year.

Congratulations to all of the finalists!

The winners will be announced during a virtual gala celebration on Thursday June 17, 2021, at 7:00 pm. For more information you may visit the Saskatchewan Book Awards website.

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Manitoba Book Awards 2021: Shortlists

The finalists for the 2021 Manitoba Book Awards have been announced! You can find the complete lists after the jump.

The awards are divided into eleven categories and showcase the very best in writing, editing, design, and publishing here in Manitoba.

Congratulations to all of the nominees!

Sadly the pandemic means that we cannot celebrate together at a gala, so instead the winners will be announced via media release and social media on Thursday, May 20 at 11:00 a.m.

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Our May Author of the Month: RACHEL CUSK

Rachel Cusk was born in Canada in 1967 and spent much of her childhood in Los Angeles before finishing her education at a convent school in England. Her first novel, Saving Agnes (1993), won the Whitbread First Novel Award. A Life’s Work: On Becoming a Mother (2001), is a personal exploration of motherhood. In The Lucky Ones (2003), she uses a series of five narratives, loosely linked by the experience of parenthood, to write of life’s transformations; of what separates us from those we love and what binds us to those we no longer understand. Her novel, Arlington Park (2006), was shortlisted for the 2007 Orange Prize for Fiction. She has also published a memoir of a 3-month family stay in Italy, The Last Supper: A Summer in Italy (2009); and a novel entitled The Bradshaw Variations (2009). In 2014 her novel Outline was published by Vintage. It was inspired by Cusk’s experience of teaching a creative writing course in Athens supported by the British Council. Shortlisted for several major awards, it was the first in a trilogy, followed by Transit (2016) and Kudos (2018).

Second Place, Rachel Cusk’s electrifying new novel, is a study of female fate and male privilege, the geometries of human relationships, and the moral questions that animate our lives. It reminds us of art’s capacity to uplift — and to destroy. A woman invites a famous artist to use her guesthouse in the remote coastal landscape where she lives with her family. Powerfully drawn to his paintings, she believes his vision might penetrate the mystery at the center of her life. But as a long, dry summer sets in, his provocative presence itself becomes an enigma — and disrupts the calm of her secluded household.

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day: April 24, 2021

We are thrilled that Canadian Independent Bookstore Day is coming up on Saturday, April 24, 2021!

Canadian Independent Bookstore Day was started as a way for readers across Canada to celebrate their beloved local indie bookstores and the contributions these businesses make to their communities. By shopping locally for your books on April 24, you are advocating for independent businesses, supporting a flourishing bookselling community, and investing in Canadian culture.

As Canada's largest and most eventful indie bookstore, we are proudly taking part in this nationwide celebration. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic we are, sadly, unable to plan any special events for the big day, however the Canadian Independent Booksellers Association (CIBA) is running an online contest across Canada with a chance to win some fantastic prizes.

The contest is simple:

1. Buy books. You may shop online, by phone, or in-store with us April 24-25, 2021. Be sure to keep your receipts and all emails we send you!
2. Review the prizes. You can see the full list on CIBA's website. Be sure to read the conditions carefully and select your favourite prize(s).*
3. Enter. Links to dedicated entry forms will be found on CIBA's website on April 24 and 25. Each prize will have its own entry form, and proof of purchase will be required (see below for more details**).
4. Find out if you've won! CIBA staff will contact prospective winners with next steps on April 26 via email.

*One important thing to note: Each book you purchase on April 24/25 counts as one entry. So if you buy ten books, you can enter to win ten different prizes! Or you can pool your entries into select prizes.

**Proof of purchase is required for each entry. For orders made in person or by phone, you will need to include a photograph of your printed receipt. For orders made on our website, you will need to take a screenshot of the confirmation email you receive from us (which you will receive as soon as you've submitted your order).

For full contest details, please visit CIBA's website. Be sure to bookmark that page so that you can get back to it quickly when it's time to submit your contest entries.

Thank you for shopping with us and for supporting a locally-owned, Canadian independent company.