Writers' Trust Announces the First Shortlists of the Books Season:

    First novels, Rawi Hage, and Miriam Toews headline fiction list

    TORONTO, Oct. 1 /CNW/ - The first shortlists for this year's major
Canadian literary prizes have been decided by the Writers' Trust of Canada.
Finalists in the categories of fiction, non-fiction, and short fiction were
announced at an event in Toronto held at Ben McNally Books. The winners of the
awards, along with four other prizes, will be announced at the eighth annual
Writers' Trust Awards event on November 17, 2008. Total prize money awarded
that night to Canadian writers will amount to $155,000, making the event one
of the richest awards nights in Canada.
    Book lovers have the chance to win a set of this year's nominated titles
by visiting www.writerstrust.com.

    THE ROGERS WRITERS' TRUST FICTION PRIZE ($25,000)
    Sponsored by Rogers Communications Inc.

    Jury: Lawrence Hill (Burlington, Ontario), Annabel Lyon (Vancouver), and
Heather O'Neill (Montreal)
    Each finalist for this prize receives $3,500.-   Rivka Galchen (New York City) for Atmospheric Disturbances, published
        by HarperCollins Canada
    -   Rawi Hage (Montreal) for Cockroach, published by House of Anansi
        Press
    -   Lee Henderson (Vancouver) for The Man Game, published by Viking
        Canada
    -   Patrick Lane (North Saanich, British Columbia) for Red Dog, Red Dog,
        published by McClelland & Stewart
    -   Miriam Toews (Winnipeg) for The Flying Troutmans, published by Knopf
        Canada

    THE WRITERS' TRUST NON-FICTION PRIZE ($25,000)

    Jury: Derek Lundy (Salt Spring Island, British Columbia), Jan Wong
(Toronto), and Darren Wershler-Henry (Toronto)
    Each finalist for this prize receives $3,500.

    -   Taras Grescoe (Montreal) for Bottomfeeder: How to Eat Ethically in a
        World of Vanishing Seafood, published by HarperCollins Canada
    -   Carl Honoré (London, United Kingdom) for Under Pressure: Rescuing
        Childhood from the Culture of Hyper-Parenting, published by Knopf
        Canada
    -   Mark Kingwell (Toronto) for Concrete Reveries: Consciousness and the
        City, published by Viking Canada
    -   Margaret Visser (Toronto/Paris/south of France) for The Gift of
        Thanks: The Roots, Persistence and Paradoxical Meanings of a Social
        Ritual, published by HarperCollins Canada
    -   Russell Wangersky (St. John's) for Burning Down the House: Fighting
        Fire and Losing Myself, published by Thomas Allen Publishers

    THE WRITERS' TRUST OF CANADA/McCLELLAND & STEWART JOURNEY PRIZE ($10,000)

    Made possible by James A. Michener's donation of his Canadian royalty
earnings from his 1988 novel, Journey.
    The Journey Prize recognizes the best short story or excerpt from a
novel-in-progress by a new and developing writer that had its first
publication in a Canadian literary journal in the previous year.
    Jury: Lynn Coady (Toronto), Heather O'Neill (Montreal), and Neil Smith
(Montreal)
    The journal that published the winning entry receives $2,000.

    -   Dana Mills (Toronto) for "Steaming for Godthab," published in Geist
    -   Saleema Nawaz (Montreal) for "My Three Girls," published in Prairie
        Review
    -   Clea Young (Vancouver) for "Chaperone," published in Grain Magazine

    Four additional prizes for a body of work will be presented at the
Writers' Trust Awards event:

    -   Matt Cohen Award: In Celebration of a Writing Life ($20,000)
    -   Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature ($20,000)
    -   Writers' Trust Award for Distinguished Contribution
    -   Writers' Trust Notable Author Award ($25,000)The International Festival of Authors will hold a reading by the
finalists of the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize on October 29, 2008. For
further information visit www.readings.org.
    The finalists of the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize will also be in
attendance at this year's Writers' Trust Gala, a prestigious fundraising event
to be held on October 28, 2008, at Toronto's Four Seasons Hotel.
    The Writers' Trust Awards event will take place in Toronto at the Isabel
Bader Theatre on November 17, 2008. The Writers' Trust Awards are made
possible through generous support from corporate, foundation, and individual
sponsors. The national print media sponsor, The Globe and Mail, provides
additional support. The Writers' Trust Awards receive no financial support
from any government programs.

    The Writers' Trust of Canada is a charitable organization that supports
Canadian writers and writing through various programs, including literary
awards, financial grants, workshops, scholarships, and a writers' retreat. For
more information visit www.writerstrust.com.

For further information: For interview and photo requests, please
contact: Meg Sinclair, [phone] or [e-mail]; James Davies,
[phone], ext. 245, or [e-mail]