Canadian authors vie for Commonwealth prize

Established Canadian authors Anne Michaels, Lisa Moore and Michael Crummey have been shortlisted for the regional edition of the Commonwealth Writers' Prize.

Organizers revealed on Thursday the contenders for the annual literary honours, which recognize the best book and the best first book in four regions: Africa; the Caribbean and Canada; South Asia and Europe; and South East Asia and the Pacific.

The regional laureates then compete for the two overall titles of best book and best first book.

Mark Collins, director of the Commonwealth Foundation, praised the prize's ability to recognize "tomorrow's bestsellers" and shine the spotlight on acclaimed newcomers to the industry.

"The Commonwealth Writers' Prize is distinct and unique in that the books that win often have strong insight, spirit and voice about the incredible diversity, history and society of the Commonwealth," he said in a statement.

"The prize aims to reward the best of Commonwealth fiction written in English and in doing so, spots rising talent and creates new literary figures from the Commonwealth."

Canadians dominate category

Annabel Lyon, whose The Golden Mean was among the sensations of Canada's publishing industry last year, is among the six nominees for the region's best book title. Her competition, all fellowCanadians,includes:

• The Winter Vault by Anne Michaels.
• February by Lisa Moore.
• Euphoria by Connie Gault.
• Goya's Dog by Damian Tarnopolsky.
• Galore by Michael Crummey.

Trinidad author Raymond Ramchartiar and his book The Island Quintet: Five Stories faces five Canadians in the best first book category. Also on the short list are:

• Under this Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell.
• Daniel O'Thunder by Ian Weir.
• Diary of Interrupted Days by Dragan Todorovic.
• The Briss by Michael Tregebov.
• Amphibian by Carla Gunn.

Several internationally acclaimed authors are among the finalists in other regions, including Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an African best book nominee for her short story collection The Thing Around Your Neck.

Two Booker Prize winners are facing off for the South East Asia and Pacific best book title: South African-born, Australian author J.M. Coetzee for Summertime and Australian writer Peter Carey for Parrot and Oliver in America.

The regional winners will be announced in early April, with organizers to reveal the overall winnerson April 12.