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The Saskatchewan Book Awards will be announcing its "Shortlist" for the 2020 Saskatchewan Book Awards on Friday, February 14, at Noon. The announcement will occur simultaneously at the Regina Public Library and the Saskatoon Public Library. It will be the beginning of a year-long celebration of Saskatchewan literary and publishing excellence. Stay tuned!
Furthermore, the 2020 Saskatchewan Book Awards will take place on Saturday, April 25, 2020. Once again, it will take place in Regina at the Conexus Arts Centre. Come celebrate literary excellence with some of Saskatchewan's (and Canada's) best writers and publishers. Stay tuned for when tickets go on sale. Don't miss out!
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On Monday, November 4, ED Kam Teo, board chair, Donna Woloshyn, and board member, Jack Walton, attended the Saskatchewan Arts Board’s (SAB) Annual Gala, which took place in Saskatoon, at the Persephone Theatre. The Saskatchewan Book Awards were nominated in the Leadership-Organizational Award category. The SAB Award was won by Common Weal Community Arts. The third nominee was Paved Arts, Saskatoon. To be nominated for a Saskatchewan Arts Board Award is already an honour. Saskatoon board member, Jack Walton, also enjoyed the evening’s festivities.
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On Wednesday, October 30, 2019, Legislative Librarian, Melissa Bennett, arranged for the SBA, to once again, co-host a noon hour reading by three SBA award winning authors at the Legislative Library. SBA's new Executive Director, Kam Teo, moderated the event.
Reading from his book, Clifford, Harold R Johnson, recipient of the SBA's 2019 University of Saskatchewn Non-Fiction Award, delves into a personal memoir and reflection on the relationship between himself and his charismatic younger brother who passed away.
Valerie Korinek, recipient of SBA's 2019 Jennifer Welsh Scholarly Writing Award, read excerpts from her book, Prairie Fairies. Her book which is based on immersive research, "paints a broad and authentic picture of LGBTQ2S life and experience on the prairies from the Depression to the mid 1980s".
Arthur Slade's reading featured excerpts from Crimson, a book that won him the SBA's 2019 G. Murray and Edna Forbes Young Adult Literature Award. Slade's dark edged fantasy takes "readers into a world of wild magic immersing them in a story that flows with the otherworldly feel of a myth or legend, one built on the model of medieval Asia".
Approximately 70 people, including members of the Legislative Assembly and the general public, enjoyed the reading and the luncheon provided by the Legislative Library.
Following the event, all three authors along the SBA's Chairperson, Donna Woloshyn, and Executive Director, Kam Teo, were introduced at the afternoon opening of Saskatchewan's Legislative Assembly.
The SBA also wishes to acknowledge the support of the Canada Council for the grant provided to SBA to make these readings avialable to the public.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ANNOUNCEMENT
The Saskatchewan Book Awards (SBA) Board of Directors is pleased to welcome Kam Teo, as our new Executive Director! Kam brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in Saskatchewan's public library system and community development. Kam will be joining the SBA on October 7 when SBA will resume its regular office hours from Monday to Friday.
SBA SHORTLISTED FORSHORTLISTED FOR SASKATCHEWAN ARTS BOARD AWARD
Saskatchewan Books Awards is one of three nominees, along with Common Weal Community Arts and PAVED Arts, shortlisted for the Saskatchewan Arts Board Organization Award. Awards honouring Saskatchewan artists and organizations supporting the arts will be presented on the evening of Monday, November 4, 2019 at the Frank & Ellen Remai Arts Centre in Saskatoon.
The public is invited to attend this gala evening. Tickets are $60 and are available at persephonetheatre.org/stages/events.
The event starts with Snacks and Sips from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm with presentations to follow at 7:30 pm. For more information, contact:
UPCOMING EVENTS
1. LEGISLATIVE LIBRARY READING - Wednesday October 30 (12 pm to 1 pm)
2405 Legislative Drive, Regina
The Saskatchewan Book Awards and the Legislative Library are pleased to host award winning authors, Arthur Slade, Valerie Korinek and Harold Johnson, who will read from their works. Bring a friend and come and meet authors after the readings.
Lunch will be provided. No registration required.
2. RIVER VOLTA READING - TBA November 27, 2019 - Saskatoon
CALL FOR 2020 SASKATCHEWAN BOOK AWARDS SUBMISSIONS
The deadline for submissions for the 2020 Saskatchewan Book Awards is open until Friday, November 1, 2019.
Saskatchewan Book Awards looks forward to receiving your submissions. The mandate and criteria for each award, along with entry forms and a full description of our jury process is included on our website at https://www.bookawards.sk.ca/awards/award-criteria.
In most of the awards, books published on or after November 1, 2018 and no later than October 31, 2019 are eligible. Please be aware that the eligibility date for the Children’s Literature Award is calculated from a publication date of on or after November 1, 2017 to October 31, 2019 as this award is offered every other year. Be sure to check the eligibility requirements for each award entered.
For more information visit our website at www.saskbooks.sk.ca or contact the SBA office by email at:
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The Saskatchewan Book Awards still has jury vacancies for the following categories:
- Book of the Year
- Non-Fiction
- Indigenous Peoples’ Writing
- Saskatoon Book Award
- Regina Book Award
- Scholarly Book Writing
- Publishing
- Publishing in Education
- Indigenous Peoples’ Publishing
Each jury, except for the Publishing in Education category which must include one Saskatchewan jury member, consists of three members from outside the province to maintain objectivity in the evaluation process. Eligible jury members include authors (of at least two published books), publishing professionals, professors, teachers and librarians. Each jury member must have professional experience in the category under consideration and maintain confidentiality throughout the evaluation process. The one Saskatchewan juror, selected for the Publishing in Education jury, must also be familiar with Saskatchewan’s school curriculum.
The majority of the work will take place between November 2019 and January 2020, with conference calls to determine the shortlist and winner occurring in January. During the evaluation process, jury members will read the books submitted in their category, select a shortlist and winning title, and provide comments for the shortlisted titles. The SBA offers an honorarium of $15/book with a minimum payment of $150 and a maximum payment of $500. Jurors will also be able to keep books read for the category.
A juror can serve for two years in a row (but in different categories). After serving for two years in a row, a juror must take a break for two years before applying to serve as a juror again.
If interested, please contact the SBA office at
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2020 Call for Submissions:
Submissions for the 2020 Saskatchewan Book Awards are now open. The deadline for submissions is no later than 4 pm on Friday, November 1, 2019. Late submissions will not be accepted and returned to sender.
Saskatchewan Book Awards looks forward to receiving your submissions. The mandate and criteria for each award, along with entry forms and a full description of our jury process is included on our website at https://www.bookawards.sk.ca/awards/award-criteria.
In most of the awards, books published on or after November 1, 2018 and no later than October 31, 2019 are eligible. Please be aware that the eligibility date for the Children’s Literature Award is calculated from a publication date of on or after November 1, 2017 to October 31, 2019 as this award is offered every other year. Be sure to check the eligibility requirements for each award entered. The Young Adult Literature Award and the Prix du livre français are not being offered in 2020 but will be offered again in 2021.
In 2020, the following Awards will be offered, pending sponsorship:
Book of the Year Regina Book Indigenous Peoples’ Writing
Fiction Saskatoon Book Indigenous Peoples’ Publishing
Non-Fiction First Book Publishing in Education
Poetry Children’s Literature Publishing
Scholarly Writing
Winners will be announced at the 2020 Saskatchewan Book Awards Ceremony on Saturday, April 25, 2020 at the Conexus Arts Centre in Regina. A targeted media campaign and reading events leading up to and following the Awards Ceremony will further promote shortlisted and winning titles. Prize money will be offered, pending sponsorship. Prizes are $2,000, except for Book of the Year, which offers a $3,000 prize.