The Writers’ Trust McClelland & Stewart Journey Prize recognizes the year’s best short story by an emerging writer first published in a Canadian literary journal or anthology. In association with the prize, McClelland & Stewart annually publishes The Journey Prize Stories anthology, a collection of the longlisted stories. The 2020 winner will be announced at the Writers’ Trust Awards: Emerging Writers Edition.
Lisa Foad was nominated for her short story “Hunting,” and the jury had this to say about her gritty and intense work:
“In Lisa Foad’s ‘Hunting,’ a gang of five motherless girls fight to survive in a dystopic city ravaged by the unchecked appetites of men. Written in gripping, clear-eyed prose, the story is shot through with violence that is neither romanticized or gratuitous. In Foad’s masterful hands, each act is essential — and even beautiful — with an internal velocity that hurls itself towards a heartstopper of a final line. ‘Hunting’ is an audacious, electric jolt of a story that is, at its heart, a call to bear witness to both the powerful anger and ferocious love of young women.”
Lisa is represented by Samantha Haywood.
David Huebert was nominated for his short story “Chemical Valley,” and the jury had this to say about his emotionally powerful story:
“In David Huebert’s ‘Chemical Valley,’ the narrator’s remarkable voice is laced with dark humour while displaying a tremendous depth of feeling as he cares for his dying partner and navigates a dangerous workplace replete with unpleasant coworkers. This is a complex story about love, death, and grief set in a contemporary Canadian community plagued by petrochemical-induced diseases and environmental ruin. The attention to language is so meticulous that tragedy is imbued with an aura of beauty. Each exquisite sentence in ‘Chemical Valley’ produces a sense of wonderment as the narrative crescendos to its harrowing conclusion.”
David is represented by Stephanie Sinclair.
Congratulations to all the nominees!
To see the full list, please visit: https://www.writerstrust.com/awards/writers-trust-mcclelland-stewart-journey-prize