College of Arts and Science alumni shortlisted for Saskatchewan Book Awards

By Shannon Boklaschuk

Alumni from the College of Arts and Science at the University of Saskatchewan (USask) are among the authors shortlisted for 2021 Saskatchewan Book Awards.

The nominees were announced online on Friday, April 16, 2021.

“We are celebrating 28 years of excellence in writing and publishing in Saskatchewan,” said Saskatchewan Book Awards executive director and College of Arts and Science graduate Kam Teo (BA’93) in a news release. “Once again, we are very proud of this year’s nominees, which reflect the diversity of our authors and publishers.”

Jenn Sharp (BA’08) was nominated in four categories for her book Flat Out Delicious: Your Definitive Guide to Saskatchewan’s Food Artisans (Touchwood): The Ministry of Culture, Recreation, and Sport First Book Award, the University of Saskatchewan Non-Fiction Award, the City of Saskatoon/Saskatoon Public Library Saskatoon Award, and the Regina Public Library Book of the Year Award Honouring Mary Sutherland.

Nicole Haldoupis (MFA’16) was nominated in three categories for her book Tiny Ruins (Radiant Press): The Ministry of Culture, Recreation, and Sport First Book Award, the Fiction Award, and the Regina Public Library Book of the Year Award Honouring Mary Sutherland. Radiant Press was also nominated for Tiny Ruins in the Creative Saskatchewan Publishing Award category.

Shannon McConnell (MFA’17, MA’20) was nominated in three categories for her book The Burden of Gravity (Caitlin Press): The Ministry of Culture, Recreation, and Sport First Book Award, the SK Arts Poetry Award Honouring Anne Szumigalski, and the City of Saskatoon/Saskatoon Public Library Saskatoon Award.

Ian Nelson (BA’63) was nominated in the Ann and Roger Phillips Foundation Prix du livre français category for Contes bleus à encre économe (Micronouvelles) (la nouvelle plume).

Dr. Merle Massie (BA’93, MA’98, PhD’11) was nominated for the University of Saskatchewan Non-Fiction Award for her book A Radiant Life: The Honourable Sylvia Fedoruk (University of Regina Press). Massie works in USask’s Office of the Vice-President Research.

USask professor emeritus Dr. Bill Waiser (MA’76, PhD’83, DLitt’10) was nominated in three categories for his book In Search of Almighty Voice: Resistance and Reconciliation (Fifth House Publishers): The University of Saskatchewan Non-Fiction Award, the University of Regina Faculty of Arts/University of Saskatchewan College of Arts and Science Jennifer Welsh Scholarly Writing Award, and the City of Saskatoon/Saskatoon Public Library Saskatoon Award.

Dr. gillian harding-russell (PhD’86) was nominated for the SK Arts Poetry Award Honouring Anne Szumigalski for Uninterrupted (Ekstasis Editions).

Randy Lundy (BA’94, MA’00) was nominated in three categories for his book Field Notes for the Self (University of Regina Press): The SK Arts Poetry Award Honouring Anne Szumigalski, the Rasmussen & Co. Indigenous Peoples’ Writing Award, and the Regina Public Library Book of the Year Award Honouring Mary Sutherland.

Daniel M. Beveridge (BSc’61, BA’62, MA’65) edited the book The Red Road and Other Narratives of the Dakota Sioux (University of Nebraska Press) by Samuel Mniyo and Robert Goodvoice, which was nominated for the University of Regina Faculty of Arts/University of Saskatchewan College of Arts and Science Jennifer Welsh Scholarly Writing Award.

Dr. Wendy Roy (MA’97), a faculty member in the College of Arts and Science’s Department of English, was nominated for the University of Regina Faculty of Arts/University of Saskatchewan College of Arts and Science Jennifer Welsh Scholarly Writing Award for The Next Instalment: Serials, Sequels, and Adaptations of Nellie L. McClung, L.M. Montgomery, and Mazo de la Roche (Wilfrid Laurier University Press).

Leona Theis (BA’80, ARTS’87, MCTGED’91) was nominated in two categories for her novel If Sylvie Had Nine Lives (Freehand Books): The City of Saskatoon/Saskatoon Public Library Saskatoon Award and the Fiction Award.

Beverley Brenna (BEd’84, MEd’91, BA’02) was nominated for the Edna and G. Murray Forbes Foundation Young Adult Award for Because of that Crow (Red Deer Press).

Kristine Scarrow (BA’01) was nominated for the Edna and G. Murray Forbes Foundation Young Adult Award for The Gamer’s Guide to Getting That Girl (Dundurn Press).

The Mackenzie Art Gallery was nominated for the SaskBooks Publishing in Education Award for The Gardener’s Universe by Victor Cicansky (BEd’65, BA’67).

The online ceremony announcing the winners of the 2021 Saskatchewan Book Awards will take place on Thursday, June 17, 2021, at 7 pm. The program will also be broadcast through the Saskatchewan Book Awards website and Facebook page.

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