P.E.I. Book Award nominations now open

Island authors, editors, and book producers are encouraged to apply for a P.E.I. Book Award before Jan. 31.

Sponsored by the province’s Department of Education, Early Learning and Culture, the awards are presented every two years to recognize writing excellence in the three categories of fiction, nonfiction and poetry.

To be eligible for the awards, a book must have been published in the calendar years 2016 or 2017, books could have been published anywhere in the world, authors, editors or creators must have been permanent or seasonal residents of Prince Edward Island during the period of award eligibility and must be Canadian citizens or landed immigrants and books may be in either English or French.

Complete eligibility information and application forms are available at www.princeedwardisland.ca/bookaward.

Submissions in each category are assessed by an independent jury based on overall content, quality of design and production. The award consists of a cash prize and handcrafted commemorative gift, as well as specially designed seals for display on the award-winning books.

“Prince Edward Island authors continue to shape culture by telling stories that define and profile the province’s people and communities,” said Education, Early Learning and Culture Minister Jordan Brown.

A short list will be announced in mid-April.

A gala awards ceremony will be held in June to present the P.E.I. Book Awards in conjunction with the P.E.I. Writer’s Guild Island Literary Awards.