For immediate release:
EDMONTON, AB, May 6, 2016 – The five books vying for the richest literary prize in the province have been announced.
Trimmed to a list of five titles from 54 submissions by a jury of Edmonton Public Library (EPL) staff, the public will go to the polls starting July 4 to vote for their favourite and determine a winner.
Sponsored by EPL, the Alberta Readers’ Choice (ARC) Award is awarded annually for the best fiction or non-fiction book written by an Alberta author. The $10,000 prize, now in its seventh year, recognizes exceptional writing in our province and encourages readers to support local authors.
“Picking the top titles is not an easy task,” said Pilar Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of EPL. “The talent of the authors in our province and the quality of their work continues to impress. We are eager to see what Albertans pick as their favourite.”
The five finalists for the 2016 ARC Award are:
- A Wake for the Dreamland, by Laurel Deedrick-Mayne (FriesenPress)
- Birdie, by Tracey Lindberg (HarperCollins Publishers)
- Rumi and the Red Handbag, by Shawna Lemay (Palimpsest Press)
- The Battle of Alberta, by Mark Spector (McClelland & Stewart)
- Road Trip Rwanda, by Will Ferguson (Viking Canada)
To celebrate the top titles, Writer in Residence and former ARC Award winner Wayne Arthurson hosted former nominees and acknowledged the current finalists at the 2016 Alberta Readers’ Choice Award Launch Gala on Friday, May 6 in the Stanley A. Milner Library Theatre.
Voting for the 2016 ARC Award will occur online from July 4 through to August 31. The winner will be announced on September 16 at the 2016 Alberta Book Awards.
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About the Alberta Readers’ Choice Award
The Alberta Readers’ Choice (ARC) Award is presented by the Edmonton Public Library (EPL). Currently in its seventh year, the ARC Award promotes literacy and reading to Albertans by highlighting the unique and talented writers residing in our province. The $10,000 prize, sponsored by EPL, goes to the author of the winning title as voted on by the reading public. The ARC Award is one of the largest literary prizes offered in Alberta and is comparable to many national literary awards. For more information about the ARC Award, visit www.epl.ca/alberta-readers-choice.
About the Edmonton Public Library
The Edmonton Public Library (EPL) is proud to be 2014 Library of the Year! We’ve come a long way since 1913 when books were all you could find on our shelves… and we’re just getting started! Today, EPL carries everything you care about. We are Edmonton’s largest lender of all manner of information and entertainment. Our professionally trained staff take you beyond Google with the knowledge, discernment and desire to help you navigate a universe of information. The second most visited place in Edmonton, every year EPL hosts over 14 million in-branch and online visits across our 20 branches and website. We deliver our incredible content to you everywhere – in the library, at home or on your handheld device. Unmatched access and unrivalled value – that is today’s EPL. EPL is a registered charity and relies on donations to enhance services. Spread the words. www.epl.ca/donate.
For more information, contact
Heather McIntyre
Marketing Communications Specialist
Edmonton Public Library
780-496-7055
hmcintyre@epl.ca
