Two BC writers make Giller shortlist

October 06th, 2026

Two British Columbia authors have landed on the prestigious five-title shortlist for the 33rd annual Giller Prize: Vancouver author Nazanine Hozar for The Small Ones (Knopf Canada, 2026) and celebrated writer Michelle Good, who splits her time between BC and Saskatchewan, for Eliza Sunshine (Random House Canada, 2026).

Chosen from more than 140 submissions by a pan-Canadian jury of nine independent booksellers, this year’s shortlist spotlights five novels representing four provinces and five imprints:

• Tara Gereaux, Wild People Quiet (Scribner Canada)

• Michelle Good, Eliza Sunshine (Random House Canada)

• Nicholas Herring, Your Breath in Charcoal (Goose Lane Editions)

• Nazanine Hozar, The Small Ones (Knopf Canada)

• Patmeena Sabit, Good People (Crown)

Nazanine Hozar

Hozar’s inclusion highlights a standout season for BC storytelling. Her shortlisted novel, The Small Ones, follows her critically acclaimed debut Aria, cementing her reputation for unflinching, richly textured fiction. Good, the bestselling author of Five Little Indians, returns to the national spotlight with Eliza Sunshine, an expansive family saga tracing three generations of Cree women.

“The books selected by this year’s jury are incandescent. They glow with stubborn light; the quietest voices rise loudest, and on every page, these stories insist on their own future.”— Elana Rabinovitch, Executive Director, Giller Prize

Tour and Award Gala Details

Audiences can catch the finalists during the national Between the Pages reading tour this fall:

• Calgary (Calgary Central Library) — Wednesday, October 28

• Ottawa (National Arts Centre) — Monday, November 2

• Halifax (Halifax Central Library) — Wednesday, November 4

• Toronto (Isabel Bader Theatre) — Friday, November 13

The winner will be crowned at the 2026 Giller Prize Award Gala on Monday, November 16, hosted by Rick Mercer in downtown Toronto.

The ceremony will be broadcast live at 9:00 PM PT on CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Radio, and CBC Listen.

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