Annabel Lyon's Still "Golden" To Me

I realise I left loose ends when it came to the talented Annabel Lyon and the rabid praise that pursued her first novel, The Golden Mean.

I admit, I'd put faith in the newspapers to alert me on the results of the numerous Can lit. awards Lyon was nominated for, and..... well, there was no word. Well, no conclusive word. I caught a glimpse of the 2009 Scotiabank Giller Prize winner back in December. He received, oh, a paragraph of font and a small photo? Odd.

Anyhow, the winners for the major Canadian literary awards are as follows:

• The Governor General's Award for Fiction (English): Kate Pullinger, The Mistress of Nothing.
• The Scotiabank Giller Prize: Linden MacIntyre, The Bishop's Man.
• The Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Award: Annabel Lyon, The Golden Mean.

So there -- she cinched one of the three awards in 2009. I was getting rather nervous when I hadn't heard word of the outcome. I mean, the press was causing such a ruckus following her literary hat trick -- it seemed odd there was such a hushed follow-up. In any case, I am proud to see Lyon's been recognised for such a stellar first novel and I am excited to see the course her professional writing career takes from here.

I mean, to have nominations/awards like those tacked on to your resume this early, there's not a publisher out there who would reject your second novel.

So, three cheers for our Golden Girl and for her ability to get Canadians both writing AND reading.

Can. Lit's Golden Girl: Annabel Lyon

I invite readers with a general lack of interest in literature to gloss over this post, at least for this evening.

For the rest of you:

ANNABEL LYON IS A WHOLE WORLD OF AWESOME WRAPPED IN ANOTHER LAYER OF RIDICULOUS TALENT AND FINISHED WITH AN EXTRA HELPING OF HAHT.....

*Ahem*

Thank you for bearing with me on that one. So, it would appear that our golden girl has achieved the unthinkable this year with the release of her first full-length novel, The Golden Mean. If you recall from an earlier post of mine, Ms. Lyon was selected for the Scotiabank Giller Prize's Shortlist, an honour that is reserved for some of the finest Canadian writers to lift a pen.

Oh, but it gets so much better from there, ladies.

In Canadian terms, Annabel Lyon has managed to secure a coveted, unthinkable hat trick in the realm of literary awards for The Golden Mean:

• She's been Shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize.
• She's a finalist for The Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize.
• And she just received a nomination for The Governor General's Literary Award in English-language fiction.

Yeah -- that is jaw dropping news if ever I read it. She is set. I mean, even if The Golden Mean was rudely passed over for each of these awards, the nominations alone will give her the final boost she needs to secure her place in the Can. lit. scene.

I tell you, I thought I had a literary crush before but now, it's turned into full out, shameless adoration.

Cheers to you, Annabel Lyon, and the epic wonder that 2009 has become for you.