The executive director of the BC & Yukon Book Prizes Sean Cranbury joins Joseph Planta to discuss the finalists for this year’s awards, the change in date due to COVID-19, and more.

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

Three weeks ago, our friends at the BC & Yukon Book Prizes revealed their 2020 shortlist, honouring books published in 2019. The finalists in eight categories for non-fiction, fiction, poetry, children’s literature reflect the region, as it acknowledges the craft and art of publishing, writing and art itself. An April date for the gala was set and just as tickets for the dinner were to be sold, the entire world was consumed by the coronavirus. Events and gatherings have been cancelled due to precautions over COVID-19. But the date for the 36^th Annual BC & Yukon Book Prizes is set for Saturday, 19 September 2020 at the Pan Pacific Hotel here in Vancouver. The ceremony will be hosted by CBC Radio’s indominable Shelagh Rogers. Joining me now is the executive director of the BC & Yukon Book Prizes, Sean Cranbury. I’ll get Sean to tell us about the challenges of the last few weeks, as well as the events that have been postponed, a number of terrific events in the community and throughout the region highlighting the authors and their books. Sean was on in December, and we talked at length about my experience last year as a juror. We’ll talk about the process that jurors are now in the midst of as they conduct their deliberations. I’ll also get Sean, an old bookseller, to tell us about how we might get some or all of these finalists as we are confined into isolation by COVID. Visit www.bcyukonbookprizes.com for more information, as well as a list of these distinguished finalists. @seancranbury is the Twitter handle. Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Sean Cranbury; Mr. Cranbury, good morning.

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