Wallaceburg author John Gardiner has been nominated for three of Canada’s top literary honours for his latest book, Life in the Deep End.
The short story collection has received nominations for the Governor General’s Literary Awards, the Scotiabank Giller Prize and the Trillium Book Award.
“There’s no doubt I’m pretty excited to have been nominated for all three of these awards,” Gardiner said. “The new book is doing well and people seem to really like it.”
Life in the Deep End marks Gardiner’s first release with Manor House Publishing, a company with a three-decade history of publishing Canadian literature. Manor House CEO Michael Davie said the recognition is well deserved.
“It’s rare that you come across a book that immediately captivates you, pulling you into stories with a haunting familiarity, like a suppressed memory coming to the surface, that leaves you thinking that you somehow know these characters, that you may be one of them. Life in the Deep End – Stories from the Soul is a remarkable book by a gifted author.”
The book has climbed the rankings on Amazon in the Canadian short stories category in recent weeks and has also garnered positive reviews on the retailer’s website.
“It’s really been humbling to have so many people reading my work,” Gardiner said. “Big thanks to everyone who’s taken the time out to leave a review of the book.”
Gardiner said it took nearly 40 years to secure a publisher for his work.
“I’ve been looking for a publisher for most of my writing life,” he said. “It’s very rewarding to feel your work is finally reaching out into the public domain.”
Life in the Deep End is available through Amazon.ca, directly from the author, and at Turns and Tales Book Store.
The Sydenham Current caught up with Gardiner recently for an interview.
Listen, below:
