Stephen Weir articles, editorials and popular social media weir postings

  Jamaican Canadian Writer Christina Cooke in the Running for $10,000 Prize Earlier this week, Rakuten Kobo announced the shortlist for its 2025 Emerging Writer Prize—and one Caribbean Canadian new author is among the finalists. With its Emerging Writer Prize, Rakuten Kobo aims to raise the profile of debut authors by recognizing exceptional books written by first-time Canadian authors in three categories: Literary Fiction, Nonfiction, and one of three types of genre fiction—Romance, Speculative Fiction, or Mystery. One of the nominated authors is Christina Cooke, for her novel  Broughtupsy . Cooke, a Jamaican Canadian fiction writer and essayist—not a con artist, she notes—is originally from Jamaica and now resides in New York City as a Canadian citizen. Broughtupsy  tells the story of Akúa, a young woman who travels to Jamaica hoping to reconnect with her estranged older sister, Tamika. Over the course of three fateful weeks, the sisters revisit significant places from ...

  Caribbean Writers in the Running and the Road Is Talking Ian Williams April marks the beginning of Book Award season, and this week has seen significant prize announcements from 3 different Canadian awards, impacting Caribbean authors and poets. The $130,000 Griffin Poetry Prize , announced yesterday morning in Toronto, unveiled its 2024 shortlist. This year, no Caribbean Canadian made the list, but Ishion Hutchinson from Port Antonio, Jamaica, is among the five poets vying for the prestigious June 5th poetry prize. Ishion Hutchinson The 40-year-old Jamaican poet is nominated for his book “School of Instructions,” which delves into the experiences of West Indian volunteer soldiers in British regiments during World War I. The poetry collection captures the psychological and physical challenges faced by these Black soldiers in the Middle East theatre of war, refracting their struggle against the colonial power they served. The narratives of the soldiers intertwine with the story of...

. Scotiabank sponsors $50,000 prize, publishing deal and a gallery exhibition for the year's best photographer. Bay Street's brand new award By Stephen Weir On Friday March 11th, the Scotiabank announced in Toronto the three Canadian photographers who are in the running for the nation’s newest and richest photography award. The Scotiabank Photography Award – SPA - new this year, will not only reward one photographer with a $50,000 purse (the two runners up get $5,000 each) but will also give out a publishing contract with one of the world’s top publishing houses – the Swiss based Steidl Books – to the winner. Vancouver’s Roy Arden , Montréal’s Lynn Cohen and Robin Collyer , (Toronto) were named to the SPA short-list at a lunchtime press event. The announcement was made in the art-filled posh 63rd floor office (think of it as an economic spa) headquarters of Scotiabank in downtown Toronto. “Believe me, we aren’t grumpy old bankers,” said Scotiabank vice-president John Doig....