Finalists for the first self-publishing awards in Canada, the Blurb Inc. Creation of Stories: Canada’s Self-Publishing Awards, were revealed today.

Six authors in each of three categories− adult, young adult, and books for children− were chosen from 300 submissions. Prize recipients will be announced at the Inspire! Toronto International Book Fair on Nov. 16 and awarded a total of $50,000 in prizes including Blurb marketing campaigns and 100 free printed copies of each winning title. Shortlisted authors are eligible for a $1,000 People’s Choice Award, voted for by the public at www.artandsocialchange.ca/awards.

The finalists are as follows:

Adult Audience category

• Elaine Cougler, The Loyalist’s Wife
• Liliana Daminato, Brush Before Brain
• Robert Muir, The Dive
• Jason Savedoff, Ad Lucem: The Art of a Felon
• Andy Stanleigh, Hobson’s Gate: Trauma
• Heather Wardell, Everybody’s Got a Story

Young Adult Audience category (age 12−18)

• Katrina Archer, Untalented
• Julie Hall, Keep Quiet
• Julie Hockley, Scare Crow
• Heather Anne Hunter, Ravi’s Revenge
• Clare C. Marshall, Dreams in her Head
• Michael F. Stewart, Assured Destruction: Script Kiddie

Books for Children category (age 11 and under)

• Samantha Arnold, Two Boxes
• Rachel Colley, The Little Man with the Big Beard and the Big Heart
• Madeline Neff, Little Penguin’s Big Adventure
• Liz Richardson; Brandy Schell, illus.; Sugg
• Michelle Simpson, Monsters in my House
• Barbara Torpey-Kirner, Grammy is a Golfer

Winners will be chosen by a panel of authors comprising Rosemary Aubert and Karen Connelly for the adult category, Richard Scrimger and Emily Pohl-Weary for YA, and Helaine Becker, joined by Rainbow Caterpiller Bookshop co-owner Hanoosh Abbasi, for the children’s category.