Claire Battershill

The Writers’ Union of Canada has revealed the shortlist for the 18th annual Danuta Gleed Literary Award, which recognizes the best first English-language short-story collection by a Canadian author.

Author jury members Shani Mootoo, Susan Swan, and John Vigna selected the following finalists from 37 submissions:

• Claire Battershill, Circus (McClelland & Stewart)
• Rivka Galchen, American Innovations (HarperCollins Canada)
• Eliza Robertson, Wallflowers (Hamish Hamilton Canada)
• Mireille Silcoff, Chez L’Arabe (House of Anansi Press)
• Janine Alyson Young, Hideout Hotel (Caitlin Press)

The winner will be presented with the $10,000 prize, and two runners-up with a $500 prize each, at the Writers’ Union of Canada’s OnWords conference on May 30.