media release
Cloud of Bone Claims Another Literary Award(December 3, 2008–St. John's, NL) On December 1st, renowned Newfoundland author Bernice Morgan was named the winner of the 2008 Heritage and History Book Award for her novel Cloud of Bone released by Knopf Canada last year. The Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador (WANL) presents this annual award for a work of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or children's/young adult literature that exemplifies excellence in the interpretation of the history and heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador.Award judges James Hiller, Nellie Strowbridge, and Maxine Trottier described Cloud of Bone as "filled with the intensity of legend and human conflict...A fine historical novel, true to Newfoundland's character." During her acceptance speech, Morgan admitted her surprise at winning the award, saying she'd read all of the finalists' books and thought she knew who the winner would be. A prominent and influential figure in Newfoundland and Labrador's literary landscape, Bernice Morgan is widely known for her novels Random Passage and Waiting for Time, both of which were adapted into a four-part television miniseries. Earlier this year, Cloud of Bone won the 2008 Downhome Fiction Award. Last fall, the Writers' Alliance honoured Morgan and four others with Lifetime Memberships. WANL's executive director, Théa Morash, points out the importance of appreciating literary works of historical significance with awards like this one. "Writer and historian Barbara Tuchman said that 'books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent.' The Heritage and History Book Award is a way for us to acknowledge those writers to whom this is practical advice, and not simply a reflection on our world. It is also a means of highlighting the importance that our past plays in the creation of new literary work in Newfoundland and Labrador." Other finalists for this award were children's book author Susan Chalker Browne for The Land of a Thousand Whales (Tuckamore Books, 2006), former actor and CBC producer Paul O'Neill for How Dog Became A Friend (Pennywell Books, 2007), and first-time novelist Paul Rowe for The Silent Time (Killick Press, 2007). The award winner was announced during WANL's Christmas at The Ship by the organization's president, Fred Armstrong. The prize–a cheque for $250–was presented by Catherine Dempsey, Executive Director of the Historic Sites Association (HSA). The HSA, a non-profit organization, has sponsored this award since its inception in 2004 as a way to demonstrate appreciation for those writers whose exploration of their culture and heritage has shaped their writing. |
Media contact: Théa Morash Executive Director, Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador St. John's, NL Tel: (709) 739-5215 Toll free: 1 (866) 739-5215 Email: wanl@nf.aibn.com |
| The Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador operates with funds raised from membership dues, fundraising activities, corporate and private sponsorship, and with the financial support of the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, City of St John's, Canada Council for the Arts, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador through the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, which the Alliance gratefully acknowledges. | |
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