Episode Summary:

The tenth annual New Brunswick Book Awards were handed out in May 2025, celebrating writing excellence in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and books for young readers. In this episode, we hear from two of the four award winners about the impact of the awards. Featured in this episode are Michael Pacey, whose Van Gogh’s Grasshopper won the Fiddlehead Poetry Book Prize, and Keith Helmuth, part of the writing team behind Tappan Adney: From Birchbark Canoes to Indigenous Rights, winner of the Writer’s Federation of New Brunswick’s Non-fiction Award.

Credits:

Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Michael Pacey, Keith Helmuth
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor

WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.

The tenth annual New Brunswick Book Awards were handed out in May 2025, celebrating writing excellence in poetry, fiction, nonfiction and books for young readers. In our next two episodes, we hear from the winners about the impact of being recognized for their work. Featured in this episode are Nelson Keane, whose debut novel, Nachzehrer (published by Galleon), won the 2025 Mrs. Dunster’s Award for Fiction, sponsored by Mrs. Dunster’s Bakery, and Valerie Sherrard, who won the inaugural Books for Young Readers Award, sponsored by JD Irving Ltd., for her novel, An Unbalanced Force (published by DCB Cormorant).

Credits:

Host: Jenna Morton
Guest(s): Nelson Keane, Valerie Sherrard
Technical Production: Tosh Taylor

WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.

Episode Summary:

To mark the 10th anniversary of its creation, WFNB is proud to shine a light on the history and future of the New Brunswick Book Awards. Host Jenna Morton brings together original committee members Ross Leckie, Ian LeTourneau, Rosalyn Hyslop, and Rayanne Brennan to reminisce, sharing a behind-the-scenes look at how the awards first came together, how they’ve evolved, and what they hope New Brunswick writers are gaining from the celebration of their works.

Credits:

Host: Jenna Morton

Guest(s): Rayanne Brennan, Rosalyn Hyslop, Ross Leckie, Ian LeTourneau

Technical Production: Tosh Taylor

WordCraft is a project of the non-profit Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick, which acknowledges that the land on which we live, work, and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik and Mi’kmaq Peoples.