Three mature and emerging unpublished BC writers were each presented with a $3,000 award at a special reception held at The Union Club of British Columbia in Victoria on Oct. 15.
The winners of the 2016 Cedric Literary Awards are: Joel Scott, of Chemainus, for his work of fiction titled Jack; First Nations writer Sidney Harris, of Victoria, for his story Morning Song’s Legacy; Beth Hawkes, of Salt Spring Island, for her work of creative non-fiction titled Seasons.
“The most important focus of The Cedric Literary Awards is to recognize, celebrate and encourage emerging mature writers, age 50 and better, who have the benefit of living through some of the most important changes in our society,” said awards founder Peter Dale. “As a French speaker myself, I was delighted that we received submissions from two French writers this year and I hope to see more participating in future competitions.”
The 2016 selection panel included: Terry Ann Carter, Daniel Scott, Tricia Dower, Sylvia Olsen, Sara Cassidy and Monique Genuist – all accomplished writers and poets in their own right.
In the future, the awards program will include elements of senior-to-senior mentorship, writer coaching and editing. Prizes for each winner will remain at $3,000, while secondary prizes will be added as participation increases and funding allows. Please visit www.thecedrics.ca.