Amazon Canada and The Walrus announce 45th Annual First Novel Award shortlist of nominees

If looking for a hidden star in the literary world is something you fancy then you may be interested in today's shortlist of nominees announcement for the 45th Annual First Novel Award from Amazon Canada and The Walrus. The award was created to honour the achievements of Canadian authors and their debut novels.

This year’s shortlist of authors will each receive $6,000 and the winner will receive the grand prize of $60,000 in cash. The winner will be announced on Thursday, May 27, 2021 via virtual ceremony hosted by Jennifer Hollett, the executive director of The Walrus and will include Lawrence Hill as the special guest speaker.

Here are the finalists ...

• Butter Honey Pig Bread, Francesca Ekwuyasi (Arsenal Pulp Press) - Halifax, Nova Scotia  
• Five Little Indians, Michelle Good (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd / Harper Perennial) – Red Pheasant Cree Nation, Saskatchewan
• Happy Hour, Marlowe Granados (Flying Books) – Toronto, Ontario
• You are Eating an Orange. You are Naked., Sheung-King (Book*hug Press) – Toronto, Ontario
• Gutter Child, Jael Richardson (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd / Harper Avenue) – Brampton, Ontario
• Vanishing Monuments, John Elizabeth Stintzi (Arsenal Pulp Press) – Bergland, Ontario

In addition to the announcement, and entering its fourth year, the Youth Short Story category will also be presented at the award ceremony. Authors between the ages of thirteen and seventeen were invited to submit a 3,000-word short story. The winner of this category will receive $5,000, a mentorship lunch with editors of The Walrus and their work published on thewalrus.ca website.

Established in 1976, the First Novel Award program has launched the careers of some of Canada's most beloved novelists. Previous winners include Michael Ondaatje, Joan Barfoot, Joy Kogawa, W. P. Kinsella, Nino Ricci, Rohinton Mistry, Michael Redhill, Mona Awad, Katherena Vermette, Michael Kaan, Casey Plett and Stéphane Larue.