Angela Antle

Angela Antle has been named the winner of the 2025 BMO Winterset Award for her novel The Saltbox Olive.

The annual $12,500 prize celebrates excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador writing across all genres. Antle was named the winner at a ceremony in St. John’s on April 9. The Saltbox Olive, published by Breakwater Books, follows the protagonist as she seeks the truth of her family’s mysterious past and discovers answers in the experiences of Newfoundland soldiers in Italy during the Second World War.

Antle, a writer, artist, and documentary maker based in St. John’s, was one of three finalists for this year’s award. The other two finalists, Debbie McGee for Cautiously Pessimistic (Breakwater Books) and Mackenzie Nolan for Veal (ECW Press) will each receive $3,000. The finalists were chosen from a seven-book longlist announced in March.

A jury comprised of authors Robert Chafe, Sara Power, and Susie Taylor chose the winning and shortlisted titles from 37 books by Newfoundland and Labrador authors submitted by publishers across the country.