Ontario Creates Announces 16 Trillium Book Award Finalists

TORONTO | May 11, 2021 | Ontario Creates, an agency of the government of Ontario, is proud to present the finalists for the 2021 Trillium Book Award, the province’s most prestigious literary prize.

Sixteen titles from Ontario’s top literary talent are on this year’s Trillium Book Award shortlists – in French and English, and spanning all genres. The scope of these books ranges from the intimate to the global: whether their settings are close to home or far away, they explore places and stories that are at once familiar and surprising.

English-language Finalists for the Trillium Book Award:

• Craig Davidson, Cascade, Knopf Canada,
• Farzana Doctor, Seven, Dundurn Press
  
• Emma Donoghue, The Pull of the Stars, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
• A.F. Moritz, As Far As You Know, House of Anansi Press
• Souvankham Thammavongsa, How to Pronounce Knife, McClelland & Stewart

French-language Finalists for the Trillium Book Award:

• Daniel Castillo Durante, Tango, Éditions L'Interligne
• Nicole V. Champeau, Niagara... la voie qui y mène, Éditions David
• Charles-Étienne Ferland, Métamorphoses, Éditions L'Interligne
• Melchior Mbonimpa, Au sommet du Nanzerwé il s'est assis et il a pleuré, Éditions Prise de parole
• Danièle Vallée, Sept nuits dans la vie de Chérie, Éditions David

Finalists for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry in English:

• Irfan Ali, Accretion, Brick Books
• Jody Chan, sick, Black Lawrence Press
• Canisia Lubrin, The Dyzgraphxst, McClelland & Stewart

Finalists for the Trillium Book Award for Children’s Literature in French:

• Marise Gasque, La Neva pour se retrouver, Éditions L'Interligne
• Micheline Marchand, Perdue au bord de la baie d'Hudson, Éditions David
• Éric Mathieu, Capitaine Boudu et les enfants de la Cédille, Éditions L'Interligne

Find out more about these established and emerging Ontario authors and their nominated works here.

The Trillium Book Award/Prix Trillium winners will be announced during a livestream video event on June 15, 2021. We invite you to visit our website for more information, and to join us in this virtual celebration of Ontario’s literary excellence.

QUOTES

“The insight, creativity and dedication of our talented authors and publishers ensure that our diverse and unique stories are celebrated at home and around the world,” said Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries. “On behalf of the province and the people of Ontario, I applaud and congratulate all the Trillium Book Award finalists for their contributions, and achieving this recognition for their outstanding work.”
~ Lisa MacLeod, Minister of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Cultural Industries

“The Trillium Book Award acts as a springboard – elevating the best new voices and literary talent in our province. As well as celebrating these great authors, we applaud Ontario’s vibrant and innovative publishing industry that continues to nurture this talent while contributing $750 million to Ontario’s economy and employing over 7,750 people. Join us on June 15 for the livestream video announcement of the winners.”
~ Aaron Campbell, Chair, Ontario Creates

“Ontario Creates is proud to support Ontario’s publishing industry all year long through our programs and services. We are delighted to honour Ontario writers whose works reflect the diversity of our province in English and French across all genres. I join all Ontarians in congratulating our 2021 finalists, and encourage you to show your support to our local authors and publishers by putting these great books on your reading list.”
~ Karen Thorne-Stone, President & CEO, Ontario Creates

QUICK FACTS

• The Trillium Book Award / Prix Trillium encourages excellence in literature by investing in Ontario-based writers. Award recipients receive $20,000 and their respective publishers receive $2,500 to promote the winning titles.
• Three titles are short-listed for the Trillium Book Award for Poetry in English language, which recognizes literary achievement for a first, second or third published work of poetry. Three titles have been short-listed for the Trillium Book Award for Children’s Literature in French language, which is awarded in alternating years with the Trillium Book Awards for Poetry in French language. The winner for each of these awards receives $10,000 and their publisher $2,000 for promotion of the titles.
• Previous winners include international acclaimed authors and rising stars such as Souvankham Thammavongsa, Dionne Brand, Alice Munro, Margaret Atwood, Thomas King, Marguerite Andersen, Andrée Lacelle, Diya Lim, Lisa L’Heureux and François Paré to name a few.
• Book publishing in Canada is a $1.7 billion industry, with Ontario contributing more than two-thirds of total national operating revenue at $1.1 billion.

LEARN MORE

Ontario Creates is proud to produce the Trillium Book Awards each year. The Ontario government established the Trillium Book Award in 1987 to recognize excellence, support marketing and foster increased public awareness of the quality and diversity of Ontario writers and their works.

Ontario Creates is an agency of the Government of Ontario that facilitates economic development, investment and collaboration in Ontario’s creative industries including the music, book, magazine, film, television and interactive digital media sectors. ontariocreates.ca

Bob Reid
416-482-2308
reid@veritasinc.com

Suzan Ayscough, Head of Communications
Ontario Creates
416-642-6619
sayscough@ontariocreates.ca

ontariocreates.ca
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