A writer who grew up in Powell River has been shortlisted for the Governor General’s Literary Award.
Tamas Dobozy, 43, received the recognition for Siege 13, a collection of short stories. The book is also a finalist for the Rogers Writers’ Trust of Canada Fiction Prize.
Siege 13 is Dobozy’s third book of short stories. His previous book, Last Notes and Other Stories, won a Governor General’s Literary Award for French translation in 2007.
Dobozy is an associate professor of English at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. He grew up in Powell River and studied English and creative writing at University of Victoria.
“This is such an honour and a huge opportunity to connect with readers,” said Dobozy. “It also gives me confidence to move ahead and keep going along the path I’ve chosen.”
Siege 13 contains 13 linked short stories about one of the bloodiest sieges of World War II, which began in December of 1944 when the Red Army entered Budapest.
Dobozy said he was attracted to the story of the siege because he had family members who lived through it. “So many civilians were killed, but nobody talks about it,” he said. “I wanted to know what happened.”
The Governor General’s Literary Awards are Canada’s oldest literary awards. The other nominees in the fiction category are Robert Hough for Dr. Brinkley’s Tower, Vincent Lam for The Headmaster’s Wager, Carrie Snyder for The Juliet Stories and Linda Spalding for The Purchase.
Winners will be announced on November 13 in Montreal, followed by the awards presentation on November 28 in Ottawa. The Rogers Writers’ Trust Fiction Award will be handed out November 7 in Toronto. Both awards are worth $25,000.
