Montreal – CBC BOOKS, CBC's website devoted to books and authors, readers and writers, together with its partners the Canada Council for the Arts, Air Canada enRoute magazine and Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, today announced the winner for the 2017 CBC Nonfiction Prize is Becky Blake of Toronto, Ontario for Trust Exercise. The story was selected from more than 1400 works received from across the country. You can read Trust Exercise at CBCBooks.ca.
As grand-prize winner, Blake will receive $6000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and her story will be published in the October edition of Air Canada enRoute magazine. She will also receive a 10-day writing residency at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
The jury was composed of writers Carmen Aguirre, Dave Bidini and Charlotte Gray, who said:
“This year’s winner, “Trust Exercise,” is an elegant reminder not only of the malleability of memory, but also of its interruptions. The writing here breathes like a series of long sighs, and there’s a quiet to the prose the way a flame set to parchment is muted yet alive. The devil is in the details, sure, but this wry story of love glides and swoops, too. "Trust Exercise” is a [unselfconscious] portrait of emerging power and emotion, and the way we sweeten it with the small treasures of living.”
Becky Blake was the winner of the 2013 CBC Short Story Prize. Her writing has appeared in numerous publications across Canada. Wolsak and Wynn’s Buckrider Books will publish her debut novel in 2019.
CBC Books also announced Sarah Walou as the winner of the French grand prize this morning for Deux villages. For more information, go to ICI.Radio-canada.ca/icionlit .
The four runners-up for the CBC Nonfiction Prize, each receiving $1000 from the Canada Council for the Arts, are Sarah Bennett (St. John's, Newfoundland) for Caught, Gail Nardi (Whitehorse, Yukon) for The Guardian, Alisha Mascarenhas (Montreal, Quebec) for Diving, and Carla Powell (Liverpool, Nova Scotia) for The Road to Machu Picchu Starts at 385 lbs.
For more information on the awards, please visit CBCbooks.ca.
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About CBC Books
CBCbooks.ca features all of CBC's rich literary content and major events and programs such as Canada Reads, Canada Writes, The Next Chapter, and Writers & Company. This one-stop destination for book lovers and writers includes exclusive interviews with authors, the latest literary news stories, book recommendations and writing competitions.
About CBC/Radio-Canada
CBC/Radio-Canada is Canada’s national public broadcaster and one of its largest cultural institutions. We are Canada’s trusted source of news, information and Canadian entertainment. Deeply rooted in communities all across the country, CBC/Radio-Canada offers diverse content in English, French and eight Indigenous languages. We also provide international news and information from a uniquely Canadian perspective. In 2017, CBC/Radio-Canada will be at the heart of the celebrations and conversations with special 2017-themed multiplatform programming and events across Canada.
Canada Council for the Arts
The Canada Council for the Arts is Canada’s national public arts funder. We champion and invest in artistic excellence so that Canadians may enjoy and participate in a rich cultural life. In 2016-17 we allocated $196.8 million dollars towards artistic creation and innovation through our grants, prizes and payments. We also conduct research, convene activities and work with partners to advance the sector and help embed the arts more deeply in communities across the country. We are responsible for the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, which promotes the values and programs of UNESCO to contribute to a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable future for Canadians. The Canada Council Art Bankoperates art rental programs and helps further public engagement with contemporary arts.
About Air Canada enRoute magazine
Air Canada enRoute magazine is seen by over 1 million readers each month. The magazine – available exclusively on all Air Canada flights and in Maple Leaf Lounges worldwide as well as in select hotels and boutiques across North America – is an inspirational authority for the global traveler, known for its strong visual presence and innovative design. Air Canada enRoute is published by Bookmark, one of the world’s leading content marketing agencies.
About Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity
Founded in 1933, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity is a learning organization built upon an extraordinary legacy of excellence in artistic and creative development. What started as a single course in drama has grown to become the global organization leading in arts, culture, and creativity across dozens of disciplines. From our home in the stunning Canadian Rocky Mountains, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity aims to inspire everyone who attends our campus – artists, leaders, and thinkers – to unleash their creative potential and realize their unique contribution to society through cross-disciplinary learning opportunities, world-class performances, and public outreach.
For further information, contact:
Nicola Makoway Diane Hargrave
Publicist, CBC Books Diane Hargrave Public Relations
nicola.makoway@cbc.ca dhprbks@interlog.com
416-205-7673 416-467-9954
