Monday, April 26, 2010

Reprint: Manitoba Book Awards

The jury for the John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer at last night's Manitoba Book Awards had the following to say about my work:

Ariel Gordon's writing allows the reader access to the essence of a place and time. Her command of language brings an importance to moments both fateful and seemingly insignificant. Her work displays a surprising combination of ease and conviction, of playfulness tempered with insight, and evokes a vivid sense of the word in its studied context, the image in its rightful place. Her first full collection of poetry, Hump, will be launched May 5.

Given the shortlist - novelist Rosie Chard, filmmaker Danishka Esterhazy and poet John Toone - I was very happy just to be nominated. And so sat in the middle of a row in CCFM's circular theatre.

(I mean, have you seen the list of past winners? Anita Daher! Melissa Steele! Carolyn Gray!)

My only concession to the fact that I might win was that I made M take my gum moments before the announcement. Just in case.

M says he wishes he had had been filming the moment they announced the winner, because apparently I looked astonished. (Because I was...)

Thanks to Jenna Butler at Edmonton's Rubicon Press and Dawn Kresan at Kingsville's Palimpsest Press for the nomination, to the jury for the honour, and the MWG / AMBP for putting on the shindig!

Thanks too to Michael Van Rooy for winning last year and so being the one to present the award to me. It meant a lot to get the award from Michael, given how very supportive he's been of me and my writing over the past few years...

Finally, thanks to M for not minding that I forgot to thank him.

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