TORONTO
,
Nov. 24
/CNW/ - A new literary prize for Canadian Christian writers will be the largest of its kind. The
$5,000
award, established to honour the late author
Grace Irwin
, will celebrate the best book published in 2009 by a Canadian author who writes from a Christian worldview. Entry deadline is
January 15, 2010
.
The award is administered by The Word Guild, a national association of more than 350 Canadian writers and editors. The prize donors are Irwin's nephew and spouse, John and
Eleanor Irwin
.
Contenders for the
Grace Irwin
Award will include all shortlisted finalists in fiction and nonfiction book categories in The Word Guild's annual Canadian Christian Writing Awards. A separate round of independent judging will determine the inaugural prizewinner, which will be announced on
June 16, 2010
, at a black-tie awards gala.
The new award will help the careers of gifted writers, bring more attention to Christian writers in
Canada
, and generate increased book sales.
The late Grace
Lilian Irwin
was a trailblazing writer who published both fiction and nonfiction. She passed away in
September 2008
at age 101, after a vibrant life as an author, Classics scholar and ordained minister.
During her 38-year career teaching English, Latin and Greek at Humberside Collegiate Institute in
Toronto
, she spent her summers writing at her cottage in Haliburton, Ontario. Her first and best-known novel, Least of All Saints, was published in 1952 by McLelland & Stewart. Seven additional books were published in a 50-year period, including a dramatized biography of
John Newton
, Servant of Slaves, which was praised by a University of
Toronto
review as the best historical novel of 1961.
The Word Guild conferred
Grace Irwin
with the Leslie K. Tarr Award in 2002 for outstanding career contribution to Christian writing and publishing in
Canada
. Other Tarr Award recipients include Governor General's Literary Award winners
Margaret Avison
and
Rudy Wiebe
.
The Irwin family believes that creating a juried prize is an important step in expanding public recognition for writing by Christians. M.
Eleanor Irwin
, PhD, is a retired associate professor of Latin and Greek at University of
Toronto
Scarborough. John W. Irwin formerly owned a Canadian educational publishing house. John's four decades of church and community volunteerism include serving on the board of Christian Info
Canada
, the parent organization of The Word Guild.
For further information: see www.thewordguild.com or phone (519) 886-4196
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