Manuscript Competition Winner
Whistler Independent Book Prize
Tidewater Festivals and the Whistler Writing Society are pleased to announce the winner of the 2017 Whistler Independent Book Prize manuscript competition. The judges were Byrna Barclay and Miji Campbell.
First Prize: The Kawai Scrolls, by Louis Druehl
“This is a rollicking, rich and ribald tale . . . The dialogue is brilliant, the writing accomplished and the plot events are far-flung, far-fetched and far-out.”
“The strength of this manuscript is the gorgeous writing! Druehl’s use of specific details central to the landscape and Japanese culture is masterful.”
First Runner-up: Rapid Falls, by Amber Cowie
“This author knows how to tell a story! She uses the events of both past and present to build tension within the main character and between secondary characters.”
“I loved the story that began this story. It was a powerful way to introduce the people, the town and traditions of Rapid Falls and provided a very strong beginning to what promised to be a compelling read.”
Second Runner-up: Formerly Known as Paul, by Paul Suter
“This is an ambitious memoir that traces Paul, the narrator’s, twenty year journey from his rise as an elite Ironman athlete to his demise through an series of mysterious health crises that forced him to stop competing in the sport he loved.”
“This memoir by an over-achiever and heroic sports enthusiast, whose nickname – or the title of the book – could well be Ironman, is a stunning revelation of the addictive and obsessive nature of sports, with its near-fatal consequences to mind, body and spirit.”
The winning entry, Louis Druehl’s The Kawai Scrolls, will receive a complete publishing package, worth more than $5000, including full professional editing, design and production. The book will be launched at the 2017 Whistler Writers Festival, 12-15 October.
Printing 100 copies of the book is sponsored by Island Blue / Printorium Bookworks. The WIBP is also supported by Behind the Book, which provides support and services to self-published authors.
Whistler Independent Book Awards
Only nine days left to submit your self-published fiction and non-fiction books to the 2017 Whistler Independent Book Awards. Every book submitted receives a valuable written evaluation, with a great prize package for the winners and finalists. Full details and entry form are on the Tidewater Festivals website.