Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Shortlist Announced

Submitted by Grace on April 19, 2016 - 4:11pm

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Looking for some spring reading recommendations? Look no further than the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize shortlist!

The second annual iteration of the prize was announced today and includes debut books by Canadian authors in multiple genres, selected by Kobo's booksellers. The prize was created by Kobo to help kick-start the careers of exciting new authors. The $10,000 award will be presented in each of three categories: Non-Fiction, Literary Fiction, and Romance writing. The winners will receive publicity and marketing support throughout 2016.

The final decision will be made by jurors Camilla Gibb (non-fiction), Gail Anderson-Dargatz (literary fiction) and Lynsay Sands (Romance). The three winners will be announced June 21, 2016.

The list is a varied mix, with familiar names who have made the leap to writing from other arenas, such as musician David Usher and broadcaster and activist Wab Kinew, as well as new voices who are just being introduced to Canadian book lovers.

2016 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Shortlist: Non-Fiction

Let the Elephants Run by David Usher (House of Anansi Press)

Born to Walk by Dan Rubinstein (ECW Press)

That Lonely Section of Hell by Lori Shenher (Greystone Books)

The Right to Be Cold by Sheila Watt-Cloutier (Penguin Canada)

The Reason You Walk by Wab Kinew (Penguin Canada)

Beyond the Pale by Emily Urquhart (HarperCollins Canada)

2016 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Shortlist: Literary Fiction

Meadowlark by Wendi Stewart (NeWest Press)

Pillow by Andrew Battershill (Coach House Books)

Specimen by Irina Kovalyova (House of Anansi Press)

Debris by Kevin Hardcastle (Biblioasis)

Birdie by Tracey Lindberg (HarperCollins Canada)

Nothing Like Love by Sabrina Ramnanan (Doubleday Canada)

2016 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize Shortlist: Genre Fiction (Romance)

Operation Wildcat by Megan Michelau (Self-Published)

Fury's Kiss by Nicola R. White (Strange Roads Press)

Sway by Melanie Stanford (Samhain Publishing, Ltd.)

The Sisters of Versailles by Sally Christie (Atria Books)

Kiss and Makeup by Taryn Leigh Taylor (Harlequin)

No Conventional Miss by Eleanor Webster (Harlequin)

Open Book is pleased to congratulate our own Editorial Assistant, Kevin Hardcastle, who was nominated for his short story collection, Debris (Biblioasis).

To learn more about the prize, visit the Kobo website.