Kobo Emerging Writer Prize

The Kobo Emerging Writer Prize is a Canadian literary award, presented since 2015 by online e-book and audiobook retailer and eReader manufacturer Rakuten Kobo.[1]

Until 2024, awardees received a $10,000 prize, which was increased to $20,000 in 2025. Winners are also provided with support in marketing their books.[1] Three prizes are awarded each year to debut books published in the prior calendar year in literary fiction, non-fiction, and one of 3 genre fiction categories. Each year a different genre is honoured in the genre fiction category, rotating between mystery, romance, and speculative fiction. Since 2023, the genre fiction category has been open to books published since the prize last accepted submissions in that genre.

Winners

YearAuthorTitleGenreReference
2015Claire BattershillCircusLiterary fiction[2]
Sam WiebeLast of the Independents: Vancouver NoirMystery
Robyn DoolittleCrazy Town: The Rob Ford StoryNonfiction
2016Irina KovalyovaSpecimenLiterary fiction[3]
Nicola R. WhiteFury’s KissRomance
Wab KinewThe Reason You WalkNonfiction
2017Lynne KutsukakeThe Translation of LoveLiterary fiction[4]
Dee WillsonA Keeper's TruthSpeculative fiction
Teva HarrisonIn-Between DaysNonfiction
2018Omar El AkkadAmerican WarLiterary fiction[5]
Sheena KamalThe Lost OnesMystery
Maria QamarTrust No AuntyNonfiction
2019Nora DecterHow Far We Go and How FastFiction[6]
Julie Evelyn JoyceSteeped in LoveRomance
Kate HarrisLands of Lost BordersNonfiction
2020Zalika Reid-BentaFrying PlantainFiction[7]
J. R. McConveyDifferent BeastsSpeculative fiction
Jesse ThistleFrom the AshesNonfiction
2021Michelle GoodFive Little IndiansFiction[8]
Emily HepditchThe Woman in the AtticMystery
Eternity MartisThey Said This Would Be Fun: Race, Campus Life and Growing UpNonfiction
2022Pik-Shuen FungGhost ForestFiction[9]
Damhnait MonaghanNew Girl in Little CoveRomance
Jesse WenteUnreconciled: Family, Truth, and Indigenous ResistanceNonfiction
2023Erica McKeenTearFiction[10]
K.S. CovertThe Petting ZoosSpeculative Fiction
Harrison MooneyInvisible Boy: A Memoir of Self-DiscoveryNonfiction
2024Jamaluddin AramNothing Good Happens in Wazirabad on WednesdayFiction[11]
Keziah WeirThe MythmakersMystery
Jérémie HarrisQuantum Physics Made Me Do It: A Simple Guide to the Fundamental Nature of EverythingNonfiction
2025Scott Alexander HowardThe Other ValleyFiction[12]
Leanne Toshiko SimpsonNever Been BetterRomance
Anh N. DuongDear Da-Lê: A Father's Memoir of the Vietnam War and the Iranian RevolutionNonfiction
2026Marc BendavidThe SaplingFiction[13]
Marcus KliewerWe Used to Live HereSpeculative Fiction
Lyse DoucetA People's History of AfghanistanNonfiction

References

  1. 1 2 Ryan Porter (May 2, 2019). "Tanya Tagaq, Kate Harris, and Uzma Jalaluddin among shortlisted authors for Kobo Emerging Writer Prize". Quill and Quire.
  2. ↑ Conan Tobias (July 8, 2015). "Battershill, Wiebe, Doolittle win inaugural Kobo Emerging Writer Prizes". Quill and Quire.
  3. ↑ Becky Robertson, "Awards: Kinew, Kovalyova, White win Kobo Emerging Writer Prizes". Quill & Quire, June 22, 2016.
  4. ↑ Becky Robertson, "Teva Harrison, Lynne Kutsukake, Dee Wilson awarded Kobo Emerging Writer Prizes". Quill & Quire, June 28, 2017.
  5. ↑ Samraweet Yohannes (June 19, 2018). "Omar El Akkad, author of American War, among winners of $10K Kobo Emerging Writer Prizes". CBC News.
  6. ↑ "26 Canadian books that won awards in the first half of 2019". CBC News. July 8, 2019.
  7. ↑ Sue Carter, "Jesse Thistle, Zalika Reid-Benta, J.R. McConvey win Kobo’s Emerging Writer Prizes". Quill & Quire, June 25, 2020.
  8. ↑ Deborah Dundas, "Michelle Good wins Kobo Emerging Writer fiction prize — making it three wins for the three noms she got on that big day in May". Toronto Star, June 22, 2021.
  9. ↑ Cassandra Drudi, "Jesse Wente, Pik-Shuen Fung, Damhnait Monaghan named winners of 2022 Kobo Emerging Writer prizes". Quill & Quire, June 23, 2022.
  10. ↑ Bridget Raymundo, "Erica McKeen, Harrison Mooney and K.S. Covert win $10K Kobo Emerging Writer Prizes". CBC Books, June 28, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Toronto author Jamaluddin Aram among winners of $10K Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prize". CBC Books, June 19, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Anh Duong, Scott Alexander Howard and Leanne Toshiko Simpson win $20K Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prizes". CBC Books, June 17, 2025.
  13. ↑ Attila Berki, "Lyse Doucet, Marc Bendavid, Marcus Kliewer win Rakuten Kobo Emerging Writer Prizes". Quill & Quire, June 25, 2026.
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