Most writers don’t put words on screens for the laurels that might come their way. We write to say something; to explore an idea; or to capture a feeling, a moment, a place. Still, when those laurels come, it is sweet.
I spoke at a speaker’s series recently and a member of the audience waited to talk with me after the event. She wiped tears from her eyes as she told me about her father and his fruit trees. What I had read had touched her deeply, had dug up old memories that, while sad, she was happy to have. That is a writer’s trophy — to connect.
To be recognized by an organization that understand the importance of connecting with and honouring our past is the cherry on top.
I am very grateful to Heritage Toronto for this 2019 Book Award.