Download the Word document listing all winners.
Read the news release.
The Leslie K. Tarr Award
Sponsor: Tyndale University College and Seminary
Named in honour of its first recipient, the late Leslie K. Tarr, a Toronto journalist, editor, and teacher, the Tarr Award celebrates a major career contribution to Christian writing and publishing in Canada.
Winner: Ray Wiseman
The Partnership Award
Sponsor: The Word Guild
Recognizes an organization or individual who has shown exceptional support and encouragement to Canadian writers and editors who are Christian.
Winner: Brian Stiller
Best New Canadian Christian Author Award
Sponsor: Castle Quay Books
Recognizes the most promising fiction or non-fiction manuscript about Christian faith. The winning author will be awarded a $1,000 prize or a $1,000 advance against royalties should Castle Quay Books Canada decide to publish the work.
Winner: Frances M. Hudson of Calgary, Alberta, for her non-fiction manuscript, Special Angels: A Journey of Deliverance from the Nightmare of Familicide.
The Word Guild Awards
Book—Biblical Studies
Sponsor: The Gideons International in Canada
Winner: Andrew T. Hawkins of Chatham, Ont. for Whispers that Delight: Building a Listening-Centered Prayer Life (Word Alive Press)
Award of Merit: Allan Descheneau of Ottawa, Ont. for Letters from Jesus (independently published)
Book—Children
Sponsors: The Word Guild
Winner: Connie Brummel Crook of Peterborough, Ont. for Mary’s Way: Finding a Home in Upper Canada (Scholastic Canada Ltd.)
Book—Christian Living
Sponsor: Christian Info Society
Winner: Greg Paul of Toronto, Ont. for The Twenty Piece Shuffle: why the poor and rich need each other (David C. Cook)
Award of Merit: Carolyn Arends of Surrey, B.C. for Wrestling with Angels: Adventures in Faith and Doubt (Harvest House Publishers)
Award of Merit: Tim Huff of Toronto, Ont. for Bent Hope: a street journal (Castle Quay Books)
Book—Culture
Sponsor: That's Life! Communications
Winner – Tie: Tim Huff of Toronto, Ont. for Bent Hope: a street journal (Castle Quay Books)
Winner – Tie: Greg Paul of Toronto, Ont. for The Twenty Piece Shuffle: Why the poor and rich need each other (David C. Cook)
Book—General Readership
Sponsor: Word Alive Press
Winner: Tim Huff of Toronto, Ont. for Bent Hope: a street journal (Castle Quay Books)
Book—Independently Published Non-fiction
Sponsor: Crossroads Christian Communications Inc.
Winner: Alvin G. Ens of Abbotsford, B.C. for A Kingdom Kite (Ensa Publishing)
Award of Merit: Peter Slofstra of Courtice, Ont. for In Tandem: a sea to sea cycling odyssey (Essence Publishing)
Book—Leadership/Theoretical
Sponsor: Maranatha News
Winner: Robert E. VanderVennen of Toronto, Ont. for A University for the People: A History of the Institute for Christian Studies (Dordt College Press)
Award of Merit: John G. Stackhouse, Jr. of North Vancouver, B.C. for Making the Best of It: Following Christ in the Real World (Oxford University Press)
Book—Life Stories
Sponsor: World Vision
Winner: Carolyn Arends of Surrey, B.C. for Wrestling with Angels: Adventures in Faith and Doubt (Harvest House Publishers)
Book—Relationships
Sponsor: Crossroads Christian Communications Inc.
Winner: Fay Rowe of London, Ont. for Keepers of the Testimony (Word Alive Press)
Book—Special
Sponsor: Faith Today
Winner – Tie: D. S. Martin of Brampton, Ont. for Poiema (Wipf and Stock Publishers)
Winner – Tie: Barbara Colebrook Peace of Victoria, B.C. for Duet for Wings and Earth (Sono Nis Press)
Book—Young Adult
Sponsor: Foundation Distributing
Winner: Beverley Boissery of Vancouver, B.C. for Sophie's Exile (Dundurn Press Ltd.)
Novel—Contemporary
Sponsor: Transcontinental Publishing
Winner: Donna Dawson of St. Marys, Ont. for Vengeance (Word Alive Press)
Novel—Historical
Sponsor: The Word Guild
Winner: Shawn J. Pollett of Golden Valley, Ont. for Christianus Sum (Word Alive Press)
Novel—Futuristic
Sponsor: Interprise Software
Winner: Richard Allen Wunderlich of Salmon Arm, B.C. for Tomorrow’s Paper (OakTara Publishers)
Novel—Independently Published Fiction
Sponsor: The Word Guild
Winner: Donna Dawson of St. Marys, Ont. for Vengeance (Word Alive Press)
Novel—Mystery/Suspense
Sponsor: Michael D. Rumble
Winner: Shawn J. Pollett of Golden Valley, Ont. for Christianus Sum (Word Alive Press)
Novel—Romance
Sponsor: Paul and Belinda Burston
Winner: Shawn J. Pollett of Golden Valley, Ont. for Christianus Sum (Word Alive Press)
Article—General Readership (articles that explain or encourage faith for mainstream readers)
Sponsor: The Word Guild
Winner: N. J. Lindquist of Markham, Ont. for “The Diamond Ring” (Hot Apple Cider Anthology)
Article—Inspirational/Devotional
Sponsor: FaithLife Financial
Winner: N. J. Lindquist of Markham, Ont. for “The Diamond Ring” (Hot Apple Cider Anthology)
Award of Merit: N. J. Lindquist of Markham, Ont. for “My Letter to the Editor” (Hot Apple Cider Anthology)
Article—Long Feature
Sponsor: MB Herald
Winner: Ross Muir of Waterloo, Ont. for “Caring for the Least of These” (Canadian Mennonite)
Article—News
Sponsor: ChristianWeek
Winner: Kristine Kruszelnicki of Kanata, Ont. for “Christians mourn twenty years of no abortion law” (ChristianWeek)
Award of Merit: Debra Fieguth of Kingston, Ont. for “Video Tells of Missionary Abuse” (Faith Today)
Article—Personal Experience
Sponsor: Ready Writers, London
Winner: Angelina Fast-Vlaar of St. Catharines, Ont. for “It Was Then That I Carried You” (Hot Apple Cider Anthology)
Article—Profile/Human Interest
Sponsor: Maranatha News
Winner: Dorothy Isted of Invermere, B.C. for “Doris and Borge Langerud's missionary life” (The Columbia Valley Pioneer)
Award of Merit: Eleanor Shepherd of Pointe Claire, Que. for “Living Outside Our Comfort Zones” (Hot Apple Cider Anthology)
Article—Review
Sponsor: Dennis and Denise Rumble
Winner: John H. Redekop of Abbotsford, B.C. for “Is punishment all bad?” (Mennonite Brethren Herald)
Article—Short Feature
Sponsor: Beacon Magazine
Winner – Tie: Paul M. Beckingham of Vancouver, B.C. for “Christian “Oughtism” (Tidings)
Winner – Tie: John H. Redekop of Abbotsford, B.C. for “Buying Two Farms” (Stillwood, the First 50 Years 1958-2008)
Column/Editorial/First Person Essay (single)
Sponsor: Anonymous
Winner: Thomas Froese of Ancaster, Ont. for “God is not a black woman.” Or is She?” (ChristianWeek)
Column/Editorial/First Person Essay (series)
Sponsor: The Word Guild
Winner: Carolyn Arends of Surrey, B.C. for “Theology in Aisle 7” & “Our Shalom Vocation” (Christianity Today)
Award of Merit: James Beverley of Pickering, Ont. for Religion Watch: “World Watches Revival” & “The Bentley Challenge” (Faith Today)
Poetry
Sponsor: Utmost Christian Writers Foundation
Winner: Marcia Lee Laycock of Blackfalds, Alta. for “Dying to Live” (Utmost Christian Writers)
Award of Merit: Lori Wiens-MacDonald of Courtice, Ont. for “In My Father’s Field” (Canadian Adventist Messenger)
Short Story
Sponsor: House of James
Winner: Rob Alloway of Toronto, Ont. for “Refiner’s Ashes” (The Left Hand of God)
Song Lyrics
Sponsor: Faith FM 94.3
Winner: Marianne Novoselac of Mississauga, Ont. for “God Can” (Gaither Studios)
Award of Merit: Colleen Taylor of Duval, Sask. for “Child of my Heart” (independently recorded)
No awards were presented this year in the following categories: Article – Children/Young Adult; Book—Apologetics/Evangelism; and Book—Instructional. No entries were received in the category Scripts and Screenplays.
Note: Because The Word Guild facilitated the purchase of the 30,000 copies of Hot Apple Cider that were donated to World Vision Canada's Girls Night Out events by its authors, That's Life! Communications, the anthology's publisher, chose not to enter Hot Apple Cider in any book categories. Individual contributors were free to enter their chapters in appropriate categories.
