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Indigenous author, Ren Louie (left) is set to release an adaptation of his book for younger audiences, about his childhood journey of connecting with his culture through a drum gifted by his mother.” FULL STORY

 

First and foremost, a writer

March 23rd, 2016

Alan Twigg named recipient of the 13th annual Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence

The West Coast Book Prize Society is proud to recognize Alan Twigg as the recipient of the 13th annual Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence.

British Columbia’s Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Judith Guichon, will present the award at the Lieutenant Governor’s BC Book Prizes Gala to be held at Government House in Victoria on Saturday, April 30, 2016.

ALAN TWIGG is first and foremost a writer. He has written most of every issue of B.C. BookWorld since 1987. The Canadian Centre for Studies in Publishing has identified his newspaper as “the most essential cog in the infrastructure” that supports BC writing and publishing. Since 2001, he has written the vast majority of entries for 11,250 BC authors on the ABCBookWorld reference site – the Wikipedia of BC literature – that is hosted by SFU Library. It receives more than 4,000 visitors per day. He now generates nearly all of the content for the new BCBookLook omnibus site, and he created all 200 entries for the new Literary Map of BC. This map site contains enough original material for nine books.

Along the way, he has been a documentary filmmaker, theatre critic, musician, editorial-page columnist for The Province, library trustee, television host, charity fundraiser, and an organizer for countless events. His 18th book, Two Lives: An Investigation of Goodness, will be an appreciation of a Canadian doctor who has overseen a remote epilepsy clinic in central Tanzania for more than fifty years (Dr. Louise Jilek-Aall) and the longest-serving democratically elected leader in history (George Price, founder of Belize). Alan Twigg has received numerous awards, including the Order of Canada in 2014.

“As the founder, publisher, editor and principal writer of B.C. BookWorld, Alan Twigg has been the tireless champion of the BC writing and publishing community for almost forty years, but most people are not aware that he also volunteered his services to act as co-founder of the BC Book Prizes in 1985 and as the primary organizer and implementer of nearly every major literary award presented in this province. Most recently he created a public database of over 11,000 BC authors and is completing a literary map of BC that pinpoints 200 significant locations pertaining to 150 BC authors. At the same time he has carved out a distinguished career as a film maker, freelance journalist and columnist for major Canadian newspapers and authored seventeen books on a variety of topics including history, biography, memoir and poetry. In selecting Alan Twigg for this award, we are delighted to recognize both his literary contributions and the constant nourishment he has provided for so many years to this province’s literary community.” – Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence jury

The jury for this year’s Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence was: Betty Keller, teacher, mentor, editor, and writer, and 2015 recipient of the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Literary Excellence; Peter Darbyshire, author and editor for The Province newspaper; and, Barbara Pope, co-owner of The Mulberry Bush Book Stores in Parksville and Qualicum Beach.

This prize was established in 2003 by former Lieutenant Governor, the Honourable Iona Campagnolo, to recognize British Columbia writers who have contributed to the development of literary excellence in the province. The recipient receives a cash award of $5,000 and a commemorative certificate. The 2015 recipient was Betty Keller.

Gregor Craigie of CBC Radio (On The Island) will host the 2016 Lieutenant Governor’s BC Book Prizes Gala.

For more information on Alan Twigg: http://www.alantwigg.com/

9 Responses to “First and foremost, a writer”

  1. Richard daly says:

    Perfect choice, Alan. What great work. Now to find a team to help extend the work, The Work of the Book, into the far off future. Congratulations, from Norway.

  2. DOUGLAS GIBSON says:

    I could not be more pleased by this Award going to Alan Twigg. The world of books in Canada is in his debt, and all of us — readers, writers, publishers, booksellers and librarians — find our lives easier because of his admirable work. More! more!

  3. Lucia Mann says:

    I’m in awe of this dedicated, professional writer who goes a mile and beyond for others.
    Congratulations, Alan, for the “deserved” award.

  4. Susan Walker says:

    Congratulations, Alan. A much deserved honour.

  5. Barry Peterson says:

    I can’t think of anyone more deserving than Alan. Well earned, extremely well deserved.
    Congratulations Alan! Barry

  6. Maria Pavlik says:

    Congratulations Alan for receiving such a completely deserving honour! Among your many achievements and talents, you have faithfully recorded and respected the work of unique personalities throughout the years whose thoughts and writings might otherwise have been lost to time. I still have your “Vancouver and its Writers” on my shelf and turn to it for interest and reference. Thank you for the great service you provide to BC and its writing community.

  7. Tom says:

    Well deserved! But this profile fails to note perhaps the most telling attribute and insight into the Twigg oeuvre: beer-league soccer fanatic!

  8. Nancy Wise says:

    So,so deserving on every count. May the word “retirement” never cross your lips, never emerge from the ink of your pen or the letters of your keyboard…we couldn’t be without you! Congratulations, Alan –

  9. Best choice possible for this award. Alan Twigg seems to have launched BC writers and literature to readers far beyond out borders, gathering up local and foreign readers by the 1,000’s each month! Just a super one man cheering department , always full of encouragement for others. Cannot understand when he sleeps with his pace !

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