The 2023 Alberta Literary Awards finalists were announced by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta (WGA) on April 4. The awards honour excellence in literary work written by Alberta authors and published or created in 2021–22. From a total of 300 submissions, 27 finalists were named in nine categories.
The finalists for the Robert Kroetsch City of Edmonton Book Prize and the City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize, both administered by the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, were also announced on April 3 and 5.
The winners will be announced at the Alberta Literary Awards Gala in Calgary on June 3, which happens in conjunction with the hybrid 2023 WGA annual conference (June 2–4).
The shortlisted authors are listed below.
R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature
- Dena Seiferling, The Language of Flowers (Tundra Books)
- Vivek Shraya, Revenge of the Raccoons (Owlkids Books)
- Charis St. Pierre, Welcome, Dark (Orca Books Publishers)
Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry
- Tasnuva Hayden, An Orchid Astronomy (University of Calgary Press)
- Jaspreet Singh, How to Hold a Pebble (NeWest Press)
- Matthew James Weigel, Whitemud Walking (Coach House Books)
Wilfrid Eggleston Award for Nonfiction
- Brandi Morin, Our Voice of Fire (House of Anansi Press)
- Sandra Rollings-Magnusson, Tales from the Homestead: A History of Prairie Pioneers, 1867-1914 (Heritage House)
- Chris Turner, How to be a Climate Optimist (Random House Canada)
Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction
- Suzette Mayr, The Sleeping Car Porter Coach House Books)
- Darcy Tamayose, Ezra’s Ghosts (NeWest Press)
- Thomas Trofimuk, The Elephant on Karlův Bridge (Thistledown Press)
Memoir Award
- Tim Bowling, The Call of the Red-Winged Blackbird (Wolsak & Wynn)
- James H. Marsh, Know It All: Finding the Impossible Country (Durvile & UpRoute Books)
- Brandi Morin, Our Voice of Fire (House of Anansi Press)
Gwen Pharis Ringwood Award for Drama
- Heather Morrow, Alex & Michael & Hannah
- Caroline Russell-King, High and Splendid Braveries
- Trevor Schmidt, Two-Headed/Half-Hearted
James H. Gray Award for Short Nonfiction
- paulo da costa, “Enclosures” (Reckoning)
- Marcello Di Cintio, “The Cowboy Exclaims” (Canadian Geographic)
- Kyra Lark Koustrup, “You and the Grass” (Freefall)
Howard O’Hagan Award for Short Story
- Lareina Abbott, “Ma Soeur Marie” (Prairie Witch Anthology)
- Suzanne Johnston, “Confidants” (The Saturday Evening Post)
- C.J. Lavigne, “Bees in Winter” (Corvid Queen)
Jon Whyte Memorial Essay Award
- Patti Edgar, “One More Apostle Than You”
- Kim McCullough, “Mare Tranquillitatis”
- Seth Rasporich, “Tacoshop22rl”
Contact us via email
