Canadian Christians produced some of the best writing published in 2009, including an ex-gang member, an expert on women’s leadership and a representation of journalists, freelance writers and novelists from a wide range of church traditions and Canadian locations.
MISSISSAUGA, ONTARIO—The Word Guild, a national association of writers and editors who are Christian, presented the top awards in writing for 2009 by Canadians who write from a Christian worldview at a black-tie gala in Mississauga on June 16, 2010.
The association awarded its very first Grace Irwin Award, a $5,000 prize donated by her nephew John W. Irwin and his wife M. Eleanor Irwin, to Mags Storey of Newmarket, Ontario, for her book If Only You Knew (Kregel Publishing), a novel that was also awarded prizes for best young adult book and romance of the year.
“I’m stunned, and shocked, and extremely honored,” exclaimed Storey, Ontario correspondent for Christian Week. “I never expected in a million years that a quirky romance novel would ever get this degree of recognition, particularly considering the many strong fiction and nonfiction Christian books it was up against.”
“I’m especially excited because If Only You Knew definitely is not your typical ‘Christian’ novel. Not by a long shot! It’s a funny, romantic mystery that takes a real, gut-wrenchingly honest look at how bad our churches sometimes look to people outside our walls—especially teenagers.”
The judges, Don Bastian, Ray Wiseman and N. J. Lindquist, found the entries for The Grace Irwin Award of such high quality they chose to bestow 'honourable mention' on three books: Kingdom Culture: Growing the Missional Church by Phil Wagler, published by Word Alive Press; Talking to the Dead by Bonnie Grove, published by David C. Cook; and In the Eye of Deception by Nikki Rosen, published by McMaster University: Innovative Press.
The Irwin Award, now Canada’s largest literary award for writers who are Christian, honours the late author, classics scholar and ordained minister Grace Lilian Irwin. It will be awarded annually to the single best book entered in The Word Guild’s annual awards contest, known as the Canadian Christian Writing Awards. The contest draws nearly 250 entries each year across 34 categories.
Master of Ceremonies Herbie Kuhn, in-house voice of the Toronto Raptors basketball team, announced the awards at the gala, held in the headquarters building of World Vision Canada.
Two others special awards were conferred—the annual Leslie K. Tarr Award for outstanding career achievement and the Partnership Award. The Tarr Award went to celebrated children’s author Jean Little, 78, of Guelph, Ontario. Already a member of the Order of Canada, she has authored 45 books, many of them unsentimental portrayals of children coping with abuse, abandonment, disabilities and other challenges. Little has been legally blind from birth and writes using a talking computer.
The Partnership Award went to Donald G. Bastian, a long-time affiliate of The Word Guild and former managing editor for Stoddart Publishing, now owner of Bastian Publishing Services Ltd.
Bastian was chosen because of his long-term support of The Word Guild. He has served as faculty at their annual flagship writers’ conference, Write! Canada. He has mentored and supported fledgling Christian writers and published several The Word Guild authors. And the goals he has pursued during his career in mainline publishing have paralleled those of the association.
The Word Guild presents the award periodically to an individual or organization that has shown exceptional support and encouragement for Canadian writers and editors who are Christian.
Besides the multiple wins picked up by Mags Storey, other multiples went to Carolyn Arends of Surrey, British Columbia, for inspirational article, column and song lyric, and to Thomas Froese of Ancaster, Ontario, (based mainly in Uganda) for “article—general readership” and “book—cultural.”
Ex-gang member Michael Bull Roberts of Mississauga, Ontario, won the award for best book aimed at non-Christian readers. His autobiography, The Tender Heart of a Beast (Trimatrix Management Consulting), tells how he went from being one of Canada’s wealthiest drug lords to become the sponsor of a Christian newsletter that reaches into more than 700 prisons in North America and Hong Kong.
Other winning novelists include Bonnie Grove for Talking to the Dead (David C. Cook), Eric E. Wright for Captives of Minara (Word Alive Press) and Shane Joseph for After the Flood (Hidden Book Press).
Among the non-fiction book winners are Craig Evans of Acadia Divinity College for his book Jesus, the Final Days (Augsburg Fortress Canada); Colin McCartney of UrbanPromise Toronto for Red Letter Revolution: If We Did Revolution Jesus’ Way (Castle Quay Books); Eileen Stewart-Rhude of The World Evangelical Alliance for The Leadership Edge: Seven Keys to Dynamic Christian Leadership for Women (Castle Quay Books); and James K. A. Smith of Calvin College for Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview and Cultural Formation (Baker Publishing).
First place awards, along with some awards of merit, were given in 18 book categories and 14 categories for shorter works (two categories had no awards).
The winning-est Canadian locations included Ontario (authors from the Greater Toronto Area won nine awards) and British Columbia (authors from the Greater Vancouver area won seven), but winners also come from Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Following the awards gala 250 writers, editors, agents and publishers met in Guelph, Ontario, for three days at Canada’s largest Christian writers’ conference, Write! Canada (www.writecanada.org), also sponsored by The Word Guild.
A complete list of winners is included below and available at www.canadianchristianwritingawards.com.
Media: Please capitalize “The” in The Word Guild.
For photos or more information, contact The Word Guild's Administrative Assistant, Judy Bingley, at email info [at] thewordguild [dot] com.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Background About The Word Guild Canadian Christian Awards
2. List of Winners
3. Background About The Word Guild
ABOUT THE WORD GUILD
CANADIAN CHRISTIAN WRITING AWARDS
The awards are sponsored by The Word Guild, a national association with the mandate of connecting, developing and promoting Canadian writers and editors who are Christian. Formerly known as The God Uses Ink Awards, these prizes have been awarded annually since 1988. The Word Guild assumed responsibility for them in 2002, revamping and expanding the program from its original eight categories to the current 34.
The contest is open to all writers who have Canadian citizenship or permanent resident status, and is not restricted to members of The Word Guild. Entrants are asked to affirm The Apostles’ Creed as a condition of acceptance. Opinions and viewpoints in the winning works represent the authors’ personal beliefs and are not necessarily endorsed by The Word Guild.
Although contest rules do not require an explicit affirmation of Christian belief within an entered piece of writing, judges looked for an underlying expression of Christian worldview. Entries were judged according to excellence of writing; impact (the inspirational or informational value making it worthwhile); fulfillment of stated purpose; suitability to target audience; originality and freshness of style.
Businesses, organizations or individuals who would like to provide concrete support and encouragement to Canadian writers who are Christian are welcome to inquire about the benefits of awards sponsorships. Charitable tax receipts are available. Sponsorship opportunities may be seen at www.canadianchristianwritingawards.com/become-a-sponsor.
ABOUT THE WORD GUILD
The Word Guild is a growing team of more than 350 Canadian writers, editors, speakers, publishers, booksellers, librarians and other interested individuals who are Christian. From all parts of Canada and many denominational and cultural backgrounds, we are united in our common passion positively to influence individuals—and ultimately the Canadian culture—through life-changing words that bring God's message of hope.
We encourage the exploration of God-given gifts and talents; provide opportunities for people to work together; and foster excellence in the art, craft, practice and ministry of writing, editing and speaking.
In addition to Write! Canada, its flagship event, The Word Guild sponsors a number of awards programs for published and unpublished writers, including Canada's largest literary prize for writers who are Christian, the $5,000 Grace Irwin Award. It also holds an annual black-tie Writing Awards Gala and regional Write! events in locations such as Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Halifax, Montreal, and London, Ontario.
Three categories of membership, renewed yearly, are available: professional writers and editors; associate members, who are beginning to put together a body of published work; and affiliates working in publishing, bookselling, libraries, etc. Membership benefits include discounted rates for Write! Canada.
For more information about The Word Guild, go to www.thewordguild.com.
For more information:
Contact: Judy Bingley, Administrative Assistant
Email: info@thewordguild.com
Mississauga, Ontario — Jean Little, 78, of Guelph, Ontario, award-winning children’s author and member of the Order of Canada, will receive the twenty-second annual Leslie K. Tarr Award for outstanding career achievement. 
TORONTO—Tickets are now on sale for the fifth annual Canadian Christian Writing Awards Gala. This black tie event, hosted for the third year by Herbie Kuhn, in-house voice of the Toronto Raptors, and honouring the best work published in 2009 by Canadian writers who are Christian, will be held Wednesday, June 16, 2010 at the headquarters of World Vision Canada, (1 World Drive, Mississauga, Ontario). 
