CBC Literary Awards
by John Coleman

The 2010 CBC Literary Award winners were announced March 24. CBC radio personality Shelah Rodgers took to the air on Jian Ghomeshi's popular morning show Q, revealing the first and second place winners for English and French language writing, respectively, in three categories: creative non-fiction, poetry, and short story.

The big story is English short-story winner, young-gun Meghan Adams, for Snapshots from My Father's Euthanasia Road Trip, or, Esau. The story, which the jury calls "off-beat and whip-smart", follows a father-daughter roadtrip turned suicide mission. Born in 1987, this is Adams' first major literary recognition. She is a Masters student in English and Creative Writing at University of Toronto, studying under Jane Urquhart. Second place went to another up and coming author Corinne Stikeman, originally from Toronto and now residing in Los Angeles where she pursues television and screen writing, for Birds That Streak The Sky.

Two Vancouverites took top spots for creative non-fiction. First place winner was Gina Leoley Woolsley for My Best Friend. The book details Woolsley's life-long relationship with her drug-addicted brother. Woolsley studied creative writing at University of British Columbia and currently has a memoir in the works. Second place went to biologist, essayist and author Leslie Beckmann for Tortfeasor, which follows a young female's attempt to flee life with an abusive stepfather. Beckmann's debut novel The Sum Of All Evils was released earlier in March.

In English language poetry the renowned author, poet and journalist Brian Brett won first place for his collection To Your Scattered Bodies Go. Second place went to another well-known poet and University of Regina professor Gerald Hill for Natural Cause.

The French language winner for short-story was Le cas Makasso by Isidore Guy Makaya. Originally from the Congo, Makaya has lived in France, Spain and now Quebec where he is working on a doctorate in international law. Second place winner was Montrealer Luc Lamarre for Le Jourdain ou la rivière de la Peine, which the jury calls a view of the Jordan River that evokes "the poetic situation of youth in a war zone, caught in a vise between the uncertain future and the past heavenly ancestors."

A writer for over thirty years, Monique Letarte of Gatineau, QC won first prize in creative non-fiction for her passionate cancer story Elle en moi. Second place went to Monique Pariseau for Brin de nid, whose latest novel honours 18th century world explorer Jeanne Barret.

First prize for French language poetry went to Alain-Bernard Marchand for his collection Chants d'un autres siècle. Second place winner was Dominic Gagné for Dans le noir.

First place winners in each category win $6,000 and second place winners receive $4,000. The CBC Literary Awards were started by CBC producer Robert Weaver in 1979 and recognise original unpublished works by CanLit writers. To listen to excerpts from this year's winning works, click here.