Big bookstores can't get Giller-winning novel

Giller Winning novel in very short supply
SOURCE

TORONTO - Montreal's Johanna Skibsrud was the toast of the literary world Wednesday after nabbing the $50,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize, but the author's tiny Nova Scotia publisher couldn't say when her winning title would be available in one of the country's biggest bookstore chains.

"The Sentimentalists," Skibsrud's debut novel, is published by Gaspereau Press, which can only print about 1,000 copies a week. The company prides itself on hand-crafted books and has been steadfast in its refusal to outsource in order to meet demand.

"Our plan is still to produce the books here and to produce them at a sane rate that we can manage," publisher Andrew Steeves said from Gaspereau's headquarters in Kentville, N.S. "You have to hope for the goodwill and the patience of the booksellers and the readers. I think it's an interesting opportunity to slow the world down a hair and let people realize that good books don't go stale."

Skibsrud, 30, became the youngest Giller winner in the 17-year history of the prize when her name was called out at Tuesday's black-tie gala. She was emotional as she thanked her late father, who partly inspired her novel, about a daughter's quest to learn the truth about her father's life and his backstory in the Vietnam War.

A Giller win is like winning a literary lottery — particularly for an unknown author — and typically results in a boost in sales. But a downtown Chapters Indigo store did not have any copies of "The Sentimentalists" on Wednesday, even though it had received at least 10 inquiries about the book by mid-morning.

Steeves said he's filling the orders of independent bookstores first because they are his best customers. He couldn't say when Chapters Indigo would receive a shipment. He noted that people can download Skibsrud's book on e-readers if they are desperate to read it right away ("The Sentimentalists" was the third best-selling title on Kobobooks on Wednesday). Steeves, who co-founded Gaspereau 13 years ago, said the company's unique work is important to Canada's literary landscape.

"If you want a world that will only produce the kind of books Random House does then you know, you're going to get a pretty bland, McDonald's culture," he said, adding that Random House does "some great work. I don't really subscribe to the 'panic theory' of, if you don't have it right there, someone's going to buy something else. If people really want this book, if they really value the kind of ... cultural environment that can produce this kind of book then they will wait."

Skibsrud — who grew up in Pictou County, N.S. — admitted Tuesday night that she has, at times, wished that readers could get their hands on "The Sentimentalists" more quickly. Still, the author — who was scheduled to head to Turkey on Wednesday for a vacation — said she has faith in her publisher.

Gaspereau typically produces about 600 to 800 copies of a debut novel, Steeves said. He added that the company has almost completed a second print run of "The Sentimentalists," but would not give specific numbers.

Steeves noted that it was Gaspereau that paid attention to the novel in the first place. On some levels, he said, he really can't worry if Skibsrud is frustrated that her novel is in short supply. "My job is to be faithful to the values that we subscribe to here — to make good books, to do them well, to do them the best way we can and to stand up for and live out those principles," he said. "If we want to have a vibrant Canadian literary culture, you have to be able to foster not just a broad range of authors, but a broad range of publishers and ways of publishing."

Scotiabank Giller Prize 2010

TORONTO - Thirty-year-old Montreal author Johanna Skibsrud became the youngest recipient of the $50,000 Scotiabank Giller Prize on Tuesday night, but readers may have trouble finding her winning novel, "The Sentimentalists."

That's because her Nova Scotia-based publishing house, Gaspereau Press, makes its hand-crafted books locally and can only print about 1,000 copies of "The Sentimentalists" a week. Some bookstores across the country have been unable to get the title since the Giller short list came out Oct. 5.

But Skibsrud was optimistic about the situation upon winning the prize, the most lucrative literary honour in Canada.

"I think that (the publishers) had said that they would cross that bridge when they come to it, so here's the bridge!" she said cheerfully backstage after an acceptance speech in which she thanked Gaspereau for believing in her.

"There definitely have been times that I've wished that it was out there in more readers' hands but I know that Gaspereau has been working very, very hard to get them there and they are in the independent bookstores now and they are, or should be, in Chapters again soon. So yeah, I have faith in them."

"The Sentimentalists" chronicles a daughter's quest to learn the truth about her dying father's life and his backstory in the Vietnam War. Skibsrud — who grew up in Pictou County, N.S. — was tearful in her acceptance speech as she thanked the person who inspired the Vietnam stories in the book.

"To my late father, Olaf, for sharing his stories with me ... for all of his love and support as well, and for being here tonight, because I know he is," she said, looking radiant in a black, long, form-fitting Oscar de la Renta dress and a pearl necklace. I just can't even imagine how proud he would have been."

She said she'll use the prize money to pay off her student loans and travel from Moscow to Beijing on the Trans-Siberian railway.

"The Sentimentalists" was presented by singer Anne Murray at the Giller gala, which was hosted by CTV personality Seamus O'Regan and drew in nearly 500 members of the publishing, media and arts communities.

It was up against:
"This Cake is for the Party" by Toronto's Sarah Selecky;
"Light Lifting" by Alexander MacLeod of Dartmouth, N.S.;
"The Matter With Morris" by Winnipeg's David Bergen; and
"Annabel" by Montreal-based Kathleen Winter.

Winter's novel is also shortlisted for a Governor General's Literary Award. That prize will be handed out next week.

This year's jury — CBC broadcaster Michael Enright, American author Claire Messud and British writer Ali Smith — arrived at the short list after reading 98 books submitted by 38 publishing houses. Giller runners up will each receive $5,000.

Businessman Jack Rabinovitch established the prize in 1994 in memory of his late wife, literary journalist Doris Giller. Since then, it has become one of the country's most popular literary awards, with nominated books receiving a considerable boost in sales. It's also a rare chance for the shortlisted writers — who so often toil in solitude — to enjoy a moment in a glamorous spotlight.

At Tuesday's black-tie bash, the nominated writers rubbed shoulders with luminaries including filmmaker Atom Egoyan, dancer Veronica Tennant, author Margaret Atwood, politician Bob Rae and actor Gordon Pinsent. Pinsent voiced the ceremony's author profiles and filmmaker Bruce McDonald produced and directed the broadcast's opening short film, which paid tribute to the prize. Other presenters included Blue Rodeo frontman Jim Cuddy and journalist Barbara Amiel Black, wife of Conrad Black.

Dinner included sweet chili ahi tuna tartar with avocado and cilantro, and grand cru torte with pistachio and vanilla anglaise. Selecky, who has admitted she crashed the Giller a couple of years back, was soaking in the night. "It's really nice to have an invitation this time," said the 36-year-old author. She was excited to meet Atwood, one of her idols.

"There's a story in the book that I wrote particularly wondering what she would think of it and I just never thought that she would read it or have an opportunity to read it let alone sit behind me at this dinner," said Selecky. "So it's really special."

While past winners have included high-profile authors including Atwood, Michael Ondaatje, Alice Munro and M.G. Vassanji, this year's list — with the exception of Bergen, who won the Giller in 2005 — was made up of newcomers.

Skibsrud says she relished bonding with her fellow finalists, many of whom — like herself — "haven't received a lot of attention" in their careers. "I feel that this is a really exciting time in Canadian literature," she said, noting she was in "utter shock" when her name was announced as the winner.

McNally Robinson Booksellers in Winnipeg says it was "caught off guard" by the number of new writers on this year's short list. "Generally there are small presses involved and some rising but unknown authors, but they don't tend to be the majority of the list," said Chris Hall, senior inventory manager at the store.

MacLeod — the son of acclaimed author Alistair MacLeod — said he and his fellow finalists were all "feeling good for each other" ahead of the show. "Many of us are outsiders to the ... business side of it, and I think that's been a great insulator for us," said the English professor at Halifax's St. Mary's University, which was planning to hold a party for him Tuesday night.

The Giller gala was broadcast live on Bravo! and CTV.ca, and will air on CTV on Wednesday. (Tonight)

SOURCE

Winner - 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize

2009 Scotia Bank Giller Prize


The winner for 2009 - The Bishop's Man by Linden MacIntyre

Book details

The Bishop’s Man centres on a sensitive topic - the sexual abuses perpetrated by Catholic priests on the innocent children in their care. Father Duncan, the first person narrator, has been his bishop's dutiful enforcer, employed to check the excesses of priests and, crucially, to suppress the evidence. But as events veer out of control, he is forced into painful self-knowledge as family, community and friendship are torn apart under the strain of suspicion, obsession and guilt. A brave novel, conceived and written with impressive delicacy and understanding.


I looked through the short list of nominees. The only book I thought might be interesting to read is the Golden Means by Annabelle Lyons.

The Golden Mean is, ostensibly, the story of the philosopher, Aristotle, and his pupil, Alexander. Aristotle has yet to become the director of the Lyceum and his pupil has yet to become Alexander the Great, the conqueror of the known world. In succinct and detailed prose, Annabel Lyon not only illuminates an historical period but explores issues that are achingly contemporary: the purpose(s) of education, the destinies (and responsibilities) of the gifted, the influence of parents, the jealousies of scholars, the complications of tribalism, the tension between belief and science, and the relative merits of the life of the body versus that of the mind. The characters, some historical and some fictional, are, in their multitude, kind and noble and petty and vicious; they are recognizable to us all. This is a wise and thoughtful book.

2007 Scotiabank Giller Prize Announced This Evening

Late Breaking News that has just arrived in my email box.
The 2007 Scotiabank Giller Prize Winner was announced this evening at a Gala Black Tie Dinner & Awards Ceremony in Toronto.
The winner was...

Late Nights on Air by Elizabeth Hay!

Published by McClelland & Stewart

Edited to add - Former broadcaster wins Canada's top literary prize Announced the next day.