Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

Ian Williams Up For Big Book Prize By Stephen Weir Trinidadian born Ian Williams is considered to be one of the country’s top poets.   However, he is in the news these days for Reproduction, his first novel.   The 38-year old’s book tells the story of three generations of a Caribbean Canadian family living Toronto. Reproduction is one of five novels that have made the $60,000 First Novel Award.   Given out annually by Amazon Canada and The Walrus Magazine, the prize honours the achievements of Canadian authors and their debut novels. Williams left T&T in 1988 and moved to Brampton with his older brother and parents.   He turned out to be a brilliant student earning his doctorate in English from the University of Toronto at just 25 years of age. He is currently an assistant professor of poetry in the Creative Writing program at the University of British Columbia.  His first book, You Know Who You Are, was a finalist for the ReLit Poetry Prize.   His poetry c

70-year old Rachel Manley in the running for the $40K   Amazon Canada First Novel award. By Stephen Weir Author and Mayor John Tory at Word on the Street   Rachel Manley is a different sort of bird when it comes to the shortlist for this year’s   $40,000 Amazon Canada First Novel Award.  Not only is the 70-year old the oldest writer in the book contest, she is the only finalist who has won a Governor General Award for writing (nonfiction), and, her book –The Black Peacock - has   flown under the radar of the country’s book journalists. Since its publication in the fall of 2017, her book has gotten just a single major review in Canada and it was in the Caribbean Camera newspaper. And, oh yes, she is the only shortlisted author that has royal Jamaican roots. The Amazon Canada First Novel Award recognizes the outstanding achievement of a Canadian first-time novelist.   There are six authors in the running for this large award. Including Ms. Manley the no