I have officially finished the 2nd Canadian Book Challenge. Things got a lot easier when I threw my list out the window and just counted up Canadian authors I’d read. I’m going to keep submitting books until the end of the challenge, but I’m officially a Nunavutian (13 books, 13th province/territory to join the country).

Congratulations to all the publishers and authors who have been shortlisted for this year’s BC Book Prizes. The lists were announced publicly today, and I’ve had to keep it quiet at work since Friday! I’ve read a few of the books on the list and you may recognize the titles from when I reviewed them here — including The Cellist of Sarajevo by Steven Galloway, Flight of the Hummingbird by Michael Nicoll Yahgulanaas, Rosie and Buttercup by Chieri Uegaki, Stanley at Sea by Linda Bailey, and I am currently reading The Man Game by Lee Henderson.

Click here to check out the full list of Finalists for 2009. Winners will be announced on April 25th at the 25th annual BC Book Prizes Lieutenant Governor’s Gala. I’m really excited to go to my first “swanky” publishing event! This is the field I’ve dreamed of working in, and although my end goal may be somewhere in editorial, I’m certainly having fun at The BC Book Prizes office!