Memory of friend inspires story
St. John’s author Sarah Bennett shortlisted for CBC Nonfiction Prize
Everyone’s got an old friend, whom they haven’t seen in years, but still haunts their thoughts every now and then.
Sarah Bennett’s friend inspired her to write a short story that has landed her on a national literary prize shortlist.
Bennett, a St. John’s-based writer, has been named one of five finalists selected from more than 1,400 entrants from across the country for this year’s CBC Nonfiction Prize. The literary prize is presented annually, recognizing exceptional pieces of original, unpublished works of non-fiction between 1,200 and 1,800 words.
The 2017 winner will receive $6,000 from the Canada Council for the Arts and will have the opportunity to attend a 10-day writing residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity.
As well, their work will be published on the CBC Books website. The remaining four finalists, whose pieces will also be published on the site, will receive $1,000 from the council.
Bennett was born in Ontario and raised in Alberta, and now lives in St. John’s. A mother of four, she studies fiction with writer Lisa Moore at Memorial University, and is working on her first novel.
Bennett, who was recently chosen to apprentice with the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador’s mentorship program, made the CBC Nonfiction Prize long-lists in 2015 and 2016. In addition to this year’s shortlist for the prize, Bennett is shortlisted for the Glass Buffalo Short Fiction Contest.
Bennett’s shortlisted piece is “Caught,” a short story about petty crime, growing up, what could have been and what never was. It’s about Kevin, a former literal partner in crime.
“Caught” can be read online at www.cbc.ca/books/ literary prizes.
Others shortlisted for the 2017 CBC Nonfiction Prize are “Trust Exercise” by Becky Blake of Toronto; “Driving,” by Alisha Mascarenhas of Montreal; “The Guardian” by Gail Nardi of Whitehorse; and “The Road to Machu Picchu Stars at 385 lbs,” by Carla Powell of Liverpool, N.S.
The winner will be announced on Tuesday.