Three Newfoundland Authors Honoured at The 2009 NLAC Arts Awards: Chad Pelley, Helen Porter, Des Walsh |

Watch the full CBC Summary here: http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/Canada/NL/Web_Exclusive/ID=1484033988

Each year, the Newfoundland & Labrador Arts Council awards artists — writers, visaul artists, musicians, etc — in three categories: Emerging Artist of the Year, Artist of the Year, and Arts Educator of the Year. They also induct artists into their Hall of Honour.

This year, three writers were recognized by the NLAC Arts Awards. Last night, at the Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre in Happy Valley Goose Bay, CTV’s Seamus O’Regan hosted the event, with performances by: Andy Jones, The Montagues, Laura Battock, and The Inosuttuit Nippingit Drum Dancers.

CBC Emerging Artist of the Year: Chad Pelley. Chad is an award-winning and anthologized writer from St. John’s, Newfoundland, and sits on the board of directors at the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland & Labrador. His debut novel, Away from Everywhere (2009), was a Coles bestseller and a most-requested title at Chapters in St. John’s. It also made its way onto several “Best of 2009” lists and The National Post’s Canada Also Reads longlist. A month after the book was released, Atlantic Books Today included him in their feature article “The Next Wave: Five Atlantic Canadian Authors to Watch for.” A sizeable wave of positive reviews have all focussed on the emotional intensity of the novel, and the attention to detail in his writing. Most recently, his short story “Holes to China” won the 2009 Cuffer Prize. As of 2010 he is represented by the Anne McDermid Agency. He also runs Salty Ink.com: A Spotlight on Atlantic Canadian Writers.

Hall of Honour Inductee: Helen Fogwill Porter. Hailed by Bernice Morgan as “Newfoundland’s Roddy Doyle,” Helen is best known for her novel January, February, June or July (winner of the Canadian Library Association Award, and shortlisted for the WH Smith/Books in Canada First Novel Award). She has been well-received in every genre: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, humour, drama, and criticism, however, and her output includes a much-acclaimed memoir Below the Bridge, a collection of shorts, A Long and Lonely Ride, and some award-winning poetry + a collection, Blood and Water. Her most recent novel is Finishing School. More importantly, Helen has done much to bolster the writing scene in Newfoundland, long before Newfoundland was considered, as it is today, the country’s richest pool of literary talent. She’s done much to pave the way and is remarkably supportive of new writers.

Rogers Arts Achievment Honour: Des Walsh. Walsh, a poet, musician, and playwright, is perhaps best known for his screenplay adaptations of Random Passage and this year’s adaptation of his own book of poetry, Love & Savagery. He was the 2001 and 2003 playwright-in-residence at the Playwright’s Workshop in Montreal and at Memorial University’s Grenfell College in Corner Brook, respectively. He also co-wrote the acclaimed miniseries The Boys of St. Vincent, which garnered him a Gemini, a New York Festival Award, Italy’s Umbria Fiction Award, and Best Series at Cannes International TV Festival.

Watch the Book Trailer for Chad Pelley’s Away from Everywhere: