The Reeds was published a year ago, quietly, by choice (mine, not my publishers, believe me). And being quiet, I haven’t talked about it much. There was an event, and some signings, and more events, and some Q&As, a podcast (not mine!), and this Q&A featuring both myself and my brother, which may have been the funnest book-related thing of the past year (just watch my brother’s expression during the interview, which is an entertainment in and of itself; we also spoke to grade 6 students at our old elementary school the same day as the Q&A).
Yesterday it was announced that The Reeds is up for the Paragraphe Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction, an award run by the Quebec Writers Federation. It is somewhat gratifying to be up for a local prize for what may well be my most local book, one where the city of Montreal itself plays a large role in the story. Some reviews have noted this (though not all) and, well, that’s a strong list of writers I’m up against (I hate to put it in these terms)
and if I’m being honest (and, really, why wouldn’t I be?) I don’t like my chances. But it will mean a night of drinks and that’s a fine prize in an of itself.