2013 Co-Winners of Lieutenant Governor's Award for Literary Excellence

Poet Lorna Crozier and children's author Sarah Ellis have been selected as winners of the 10th annual Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence.

Among many other awards and honours, Crozier is a past winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award, was named an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2011 and was recognized as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2009. Her latest book of poetry, The Book of Marvels: A Compendium of Everyday Things, was named as one of The Globe’s Top 100 Books of 2012 and was nominated for this year’s Pat Lowther Award for the best book of poetry by a Canadian woman.

Ellis is one of the most illustrious and admired writers for children in Canada. A librarian, book reviewer, and sought-after lecturer on Canadian children's books, her previous awards and recognition include the 1991 Governor General’s Award for children’s literature, the 2007 TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, and this year was one of two Canadian nominees for the international book prize, The Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

Crozier and Ellis will share the $5,000 prize, which will be presented by Lieutenant Governor Juidith Guichon on May 4 in a ceremony in Victoria.

The award, established in 2003, recognizes BC writers who have made major contributions to the development of literary excellence in the Province. 

Winners were selected by a jury comprised of Brian Brett, author and 2012 award recipient; Lynn Copeland, former Dean of Library Services at Simon Fraser University; and Alma Lee, founder of the Vancouver International Writers and Readers Festival.