WIBA 2024 Winners Announced
The winners of the 2024 Whistler Independent Book Awards were announced on Friday, October 18, at the Literary Cabaret, one of the highlights of the annual Whistler Writers Festival for writers and readers, now in its 23rd year.
The FICTION winner is:
Karen Barrow forPalmyra
From the judges:
“Palmyra was a gripping, transportive read with an unexpectedly dastardly third act, and a satisfyingly romantic end . . . Karen Barrow is a phenomenal writer who honours her craft with evocative sensory details and propulsive precise plotting.”
The NON-FICTION winner is:
Barbara Leimsner for Quitting the Master Race: A Daughter’s Journey to Break the Bonds of Hate
From the judges:
“[The] combination of vulnerability and objectivity, creating a deeply personal story that is also a framework for a universal question, made this memoir stand out for me.”
The CHILDREN’S winner is:
Judith Silverthorne for The Treasure Box
From the judges:
“I thoroughly enjoyed your book, and I appreciated how deftly you handled all the subplots—bullying, aging grandparents, new school anxiety, and friendship/loyalty.” “The Treasure Box is a great read . . .”
Established in 2016, the Whistler Independent Book Awards provide Canadian self-published authors with a unique opportunity to have their work recognized through an independent juried process.
Administered by Vivalogue Publishing, the Canadian Authors Association and the Whistler Writing Society, the awards are sponsored by The Writers’ Union of Canada.
