Consider yourself a whizz with words? The North Shore libraries have put out a call out for local authors to submit their books for this year’s North Shore Authors Collection, and your thriller, romance, sci-fi or fantasy fiction could be included.
The North Shore Authors Collection, now in its fourth year, aims to highlight the diverse array of emerging and established authors that live in North and West Vancouver. With many offerings focusing on, or having been inspired by, North Shore happenings, the collection is designed to help communities build a deeper understanding and appreciation of local stories.
Participating author Frances Peck credits the North Shore Authors collection for getting her own debut The Broken Places, a fiction novel that follows the aftermath of a natural disaster, off the ground.
“In a world full of wonderful books, how can readers discover yours? For a debut novelist, that’s one of the toughest hurdles. Being in the North Shore Authors Collection gave my first novel a noticeable local boost,” she said.
While her novel went on to be named best book of 2022 by The Globe and Mail, and was shortlisted for the 2023 Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize, Peck said, perhaps most importantly, being a part of the collection helped her engage with the local community in ways that she otherwise wouldn’t have.
“Participating in the collection allowed me to connect with readers at a book club meeting about The Broken Places, and a writer I admire was the first person to borrow the collection’s copy of my book,” she said.
“Now she is one of my writer friends, so not only did I gain readers, I widened my professional network.”
To be considered for the 2023/2024 collection, authors must submit their applications by June 30. Books can be in any genre and any language, but must be written by an author who is currently residing on the North Shore or who lived here during the year of publication, and their book must be professionally bound for public borrowing, and published between 2013 and 2023.
Authors can be from anywhere across the North Shore and, for the first time this year, can also hail from Bowen Island and Lions Bay.
Once accepted, titles will be on display at all three libraries - the West Vancouver Memorial Library and the City and District public libraries - for one year starting in the fall.
More information on guidelines and how to apply can be found at northshoreauthorscollection.com
Mina Kerr-Lazenby is the North Shore News’ Indigenous and civic affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
