Now in its 15th year, the City of Victoria Butler Book Prize announced Wednesday the five finalists for 2018.
Three books of poetry, including Lorna Crozier’s What the Soul Doesn’t Want, Patrick Friesen’s Songen and Rhonda Ganz’s Frequent, Small Loads of Laundry made the shortlist along with Bill Gaston’s novel A Mariner’s Guide to Self Sabotage and Sculpture in Canada, a non-fiction account from Maria Tippett.
The $5,000 City of Victoria Butler Book Prize is awarded annually to a Greater Victoria author for the best book published in the preceding year in the categories of fiction, non-fiction or poetry.
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The $5,000 Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize is also awarded to a Greater Victoria author or illustrator for the best children’s book published in the preceding year.
Three finalists include Monique Gray Smith for her work, Speaking Our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation, Julie Lawson for A Blinding Light and Dr. Jillian Roberts for her work, On Our Street: Our First Talk About Poverty.
Drum roll, please… The 2018 shortlist for the @CityOfVictoria Butler Book Prize and @BolenBooks Children's Book Prize https://t.co/dSqZjVwYeU #readlocal
— Victoria Book Prizes (@vicbookprize) September 12, 2018
The City of Victoria Butler Book Prize is a partnership between the City of Victoria and Brian Butler of Butler Brothers Supplies, having been established in 2004. The Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize was founded in 2008.
Two juries comprised of members of the local literary arts community adjudicate the entries. Former winners include Yasuko Thanh, Julie Paul and Kevin Patterson among others.
The winners will be announced at an awards gala hosted by Gregor Craigie of the CBC will be held Oct. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Union Club (805 Gordon Street). Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at Bolen Books, Munro’s Books, Ivy’s Bookshop, Tanner’s Books, through the Victoria Book Prize Society at 250.589.8430 or www.victoriabookprizes.ca.
