On Prizes and Tofu and Pictures Untaken

Attended the BC Book Prizes bash last night for the first time. It was held at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel. The food* was pretty good, the people were great and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.

*I am forever amused at how often at events like this that the vegetarian meal includes tofu. It's like a prerequisite, somehow. It's weird -- like an omivore's view of what a veggie must eat. Tofu and portebello mushrooms.

One time, on an airplane (long ago, when one was still served meals on airplanes) I was served my vegetarian meal, consisting of a slimy slice of raw tofu, unrinsed, on a white bun sodden with brine. Remarkable.

I can, however, report, that last night's tofu was very nice. As was the portobello mushroom...


The final results of the BC Book Prize contest can be found here.

Perhaps it sounds trite, but with such an incredible group of talented writers, I really feel that the nomination is the thing (though perhaps the winners might not agree). And the winners? The readers, of course. Get yourself to a book store and pick up a few of these remarkable titles.


I wandered the place with my camera, but didn't get a lot of pictures I was terribly happy with. The place was very crowded and it was hard to get a clear shot. If included a couple here, and will post a few more over on the CWILL BC blog. Here is one I liked of author Julie Burtinshaw with Joy Gugeler (editor-in-chief with Suite 101).








Here's another, of award-winning artist and illustrator Kathie Shoemaker chatting with nominee (and winner of the Christie Harris prize) Robert Heidbreder. Behind them stands nominee Gayle Friesen chatting with a mostly obscured author and professor Alison Acheson.




I mentioned earlier this week that the BC Lieutenant Governor's Award for literary excellence went this year to writer and poet Gary Geddes. Geddes was on hand to pick up his award (and his cheque!) from Lieutenant Governor Steven Point, pictured here. Point was piped in (to the strains, somewhat mysteriously, of Waltzing Matilda), accompanied by his wife and a very substantial man-at-arms.



More later -- I have a CWILL BC meeting to dash off to. We are planning this year's Spring Book Hatching, to be held at the Vancouver Public Library, Downtown branch on June 14th.

~kc