For immediate release:
EDMONTON, AB, May 5, 2017 – The five books in the running for the richest literary prize in the province have been announced.
Trimmed to a list of five 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.
The five finalists for the 2017 Alberta Readers’ Choice (ARC) Award are:
- Art Lessons, by Katherine Koller (Enfield & Wizenty)
- Fifty Percent of Mountaineering is Uphill, by Susanna Pfisterer (NeWest Press)
- Gatekeeper, by Natasha Deen (Great Plains Teen Fiction)
- Paper Teeth, by Lauralyn Chow (NeWest Press)
- Son of France, by Todd Babiak (HarperCollins Publishers Ltd)
Sponsored by EPL, the 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 eighth year, recognizes exceptional writing in our province and encourages readers to support local authors.
“We are consistently blown away by the work of Alberta writers and publishers, and enjoy seeing so many titles entered for this award,” said Pilar Martinez, Chief Executive Officer of EPL. “It’s a tough task to choose a longlist and then the top five, but now we look forward to what readers across the province select as their favourite.”
Voting for the 2017 ARC Award will occur online from July 4 through to August 15. The winner will be announced in September at the 2017 Alberta Book Publishing Awards.
This is the final year for the ARC Award in its current format. More information will be released later this year about how the program will change and be a part of EPL’s new Capital City Press.
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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 eighth 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 https://www.epl.ca/browse_program/arca/.
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 16.9 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/give
For more information, contact
Heather McIntyre
Communications Specialist
Edmonton Public Library
780-496-7055
hmcintyre@epl.ca
