The 2012 shortlist for the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction was announced this morning in Toronto. We're thrilled that Afflictions & Departures, written by Madeline Sonik and published by LPG member, Anvil Press, was nominated.

Afflictions & Departures is a collection of essays that recall the authors life. However, unlike a traditional memoir, Sonik connects the daily events of her life with the larger social, historical, and scientific trends of the time.

Nominees will appear at an author brunch at Ben McNally's in Toronto on March 4th before the winner is announced on March 5th. A full list of nominees and more information on the Charles Taylor Prize can be found on their website.

The Writers' Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador recently announced the nominees for their annual Heritage and History Book Award. This year the award is recognizing works of poetry and non-fiction that best exemplifies excellence in interpreting the heritage and history of the province.

Congratulations to three LPG member publishers on their nominations:

Where Genesis Begins by Tom Dawe with artwork by Gerald Squires, published by Breakwater Books,

Never More There by Stephen Rowe, published by Nightwood Editions,

Battlefront Newfoundland: Britain's Oldest Colony at War, 1939 - 1945 by Jack Fitzgerald, published by Creative Book Publishing.

Celebrating the best in Canadian literary non-fiction, the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction is given to a title that excells in three areas: style; thought and perception; and superb language. For the first time in the history of the award a long list has been revealed.

And we're so excited they did, since we have two publishers with books on the list:

Why Not? Fifteen Reasons to Live by Ray Robertson, published by Biblioasis

Afflictions and Departures: Essays by Madeline Sonik, published by Anvil Press

The short list will be announced on January 10, 2012 and the winner will be named on March 5, 2012 in Toronto. For a complete list of the titles long listed for this year's award, visit the Charles Taylor Prize website.