I've never had a week like this before. I don't think that as a writer, you can have a better week. Certainly, you would never expect a week like this. I'm still in shock.
On Thursday, October 14th, I woke up to the news that FIREFLY was a Governor General's Literary Award Finalist, Young People's Literature (text). It is an incredible honour, one that I would never have expected. I've cheered on my friends, many times, and clapped with joy from the sidelines when they were nominated. But to be a Finalist myself? Never, not EVER, did I ever think that would happen. Tears of joy, wept along with my inner 9-year-old who used to dream of being an author one day.
I'm also incredibly honoured to be among the first group of Finalists with Mary May Simon, the first Inuk Governor General, in Rideau Hall. Here is a CBC article by Inuk journalist Pauline Pemik, Oct. 21/2021: Interviewing the Governor General in my Language felt like reconciliation.
Winners are announced on November 17, 2021. Stay tuned for that. Here's a video of me reading from FIREFLY:
The next day, October 15th, was the day that FIREFLY was shortlisted for the Ontario Library Association Red Maple Award.
An incredible honour, this means that young readers in Ontario in grades 7 and 8 will be introduced to Firefly, an indomitable, funny, wise 13-year-old living in a park in downtown Toronto. I will be talking to kids (probably via Zoom etc) across the province about the book, then the young readers choose their favourite book out of the ten nominees. Next spring, 2022, the winners are decided in a big celebration. Stay tuned!
Here is a post from 2014, about being a Red Maple nominee. That year I was nominated for The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden.
Shine bright, Firefly!
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