Concordians come out on top at Quebec Writers' Federation Awards

Four Concordia graduates were among the winners announced at the Quebec Writers’ Federation (QWF) Literary Awards gala earlier this week. This year’s edition of the annual event, which recognizes the best works by English writers in the province, was held at the Corona Theatre in St. Henri on November 19. It also marked the 15th anniversary of the federation. 

Adam Leith Gollner (above), BA (comm. studies) 04, won the Mavis Gallant Prize for Non-Fiction for his second book, The Book of Immortality: The Science, Belief, and Magic Behind Living Forever (Doubleday Canada). Gollner’s debut The Fruit Hunters (Doubleday Canada) won the McAuslan First Book Prize in 2008.

The Concordia University First Book Prize was awarded to Andrew Szymanski, MA (English) 12, for his collection of short stories The Barista and I (Insomniac Press: Serotonin/Wayside).

Juliet Waters, BA (English) 85, MA (English) 98, took home the 2013 3Macs carte blanche Prize for her essay "Bluefooted: The Flight Path of The Uncoordinated Life,” which chronicles the difficulties she faces raising a son with developmental coordination disorder.  

The 3Macs carte blanche Prize is awarded for an outstanding submission to literary journal carte blanche. Click here to read Waters’ story.

Louisa Sage, BFA (film animation) 03, won the $300 Quebec Writing Competition (QWC) Reader’s Choice Prize for her story, “The Drought of Eighty-Seven,” which received 18 per cent of the public vote on CBC Quebec’s QWC website.

One reader wrote that she “captures how both unreal and familiar childhood moments can be.” Click here to read Sage’s story.