Heads up literature lovers and community supporters!
The City of Victoria and the Victoria Book Prize Society have officially announced this year’s Victoria Book Prize winners.
Local authors Kathryn Mockler and Raina Delisle were crowned at the annual Book Prizes Gala on Wednesday, October 16th. Each author received $5,000 as part of the award.
Mockler was won the Butler Book Prize for her work of fiction Anecdotes, published by Book*hug Press.
This body of work has been described as a dreamlike, hybrid collection that uses dark humour and powerful storytelling to examine topics such as abuse, sexual violence and environmental collapse.
Delisle was awarded the Children’s Book Prize for her work of nonfiction titled, Breaking News, Why Media Matters, published by Orca Book Publishers.
Not only does it help kids become critical news consumers, it also teaches them how to tell fact from fiction, explores the history of the media industry and the role it plays today.
“Both winners of this year’s City of Victoria book prizes demonstrate an acute awareness of the society we inhabit and the need for individual engagement,” said Lynne Van Luven, president of the Victoria Book Prize Society.
“Kathleen Mockler’s stories in Anecdotes address feminism and difference. Raina Delisle’s Breaking News gives young readers a vital education about the challenges of today’s media.”
In addition to Anecdotes, Mockler is the author of five poetry books, she co-edited the print anthology Watch Your Head: Writers and Artists Respond to the Climate Crisis, and runs the literary newsletter Send My Love to Anyone.
She also teaches screenwriting and fiction in the Writing Department at the University of Victoria.
Delisle is an award-winning writer whose work has been featured in Today’s Parent, Chatelaine, CBC and the Globe and Mail, among many other publications. Her first book, Fashion Forward: Striving for Sustainable Style, was published in 2022.
“It’s an honor to celebrate these two talented Victoria storytellers and their exceptional literary achievements,” said Mayor Marianne Alto.
“Their work not only enriches our community but also underscores the profound impact that writing can have in shaping our collective understanding and inspiring positive change beyond our local boundaries.”
For more information on this year’s Book Prizes, including all of the shortlisted titles, you can visit their website.
