Danuta Gleed Literary Award


The Danuta Gleed Literary Award is a Canadian national literary prize, awarded since 1998. It recognizes the best debut short fiction collection by a Canadian author in English language. The annual prize was founded by John Gleed in honour of his late wife, the Canadian writer Danuta Gleed, whose favourite literary genre was short fiction, and is presented by The Writers' Union of Canada. The incomes of her One for the Chosen, a collection of short stories published posthumously in 1997 by BuschekBooks and released by Frances Itani and Susan Zettell, assist in funding the award.
Initially C$5,000, the prize money increased to C$10,000 in 2004. The runners-up each receive C$500. The nominations must be submitted before the end of January. The year's shortlist is chosen by a jury. The varying jury is composed of Canadian writers, literary critics and publishers, such as Gail Anderson-Dargatz, Robin McGrath and Hal Niedzviecki in 2012 or Douglas Glover, J. Jill Robinson and Claire Holden Rothman in 2011.
The first winning work was Curtis Gillespie's The Progress of an Object in Motion.
In 2010, Joey Comeau's Overqualified was withdrawn, as the writer already published a debut work. Only two books were shortlisted in 2010. However, the 2010 judges called the winning work Wax Boats by Sarah Roberts "truly remarkable," speaking of her versatility and her convincing writing in every conceivable voice, and likening her to Stephen Leacock's Sunshine Sketches of a Little Town for the modern age.

Winners and nominees

Year AwardedAuthorBookPublisherRef.
The Progress of an Object in MotionCoteau Books
In the Misleading Absence of LightCoteau Books-
SnackersOolichan Books-
Awake When All the World is AsleepHouse of Anansi Press-
Ice in Dark WaterVéhicule Press-
OlympiaBloomsbury USA
The County of BirchesDouglas & McIntyre
The King of SiamThe Porcupine's Quill-
Pool-Hopping and Other StoriesPolestar-
Marrow and Other StoriesWarwick Publishing-
Floating the ShoreThe Mercury Press-
AquariumThe Porcupine's Quill
Can You Wave Bye-Bye, Baby?Picador
Young MenAnchor Canada-
All the Anxious Girls on EarthPatrick Crean Editions-
Righteous LivingTurnstone Press-
Any Given PowerArbeiter Ring Publishing-
A Message for Mr. LazarusCormorant Books
Close to SpidermanArsenal Pulp Press
Rhymes with UselessRaincoast Books
Pull Gently, Tear HereInsomniac Press-
OxygenMcClelland & Stewart-
A Song for Nettie JohnsonCoteau Books
Sputnik DinerKnopf Canada-
Simple RecipesLittle Brown & Company-
What's Left UsPolestar Book Publishers-
QuicksilverRaincoast Books-
Kingdom of MonkeysRaincoast Books-
The Broken Record TechniquePenguin Canada
Silent CruiseCounterpoint-
Dead GirlsMcClelland & Stewart
When X Equals MarylouArsenal Pulp Press-
The Falling WomanVintage Canada
Black Coffee NightInsomniac Press-
A Hard Witching & Other StoriesHarper Flamingo Canada
Veranda PeopleRaincoast Books
In the Chambers of the SeaKillick Press
Way Up: StoriesGoose Lane Editions
A Place So Foreign and 8 MoreFour Walls Eight Windows
Confidence: StoriesThomas Allen Publishers
Natasha and Other StoriesHarper Flamingo Canada
So BeautifulThe Porcupine's Quill
EyehillGoose Lane Editions
Off CentreOberon Press
Hair HatPenguin Canada
LadykillerThomas Allen Publishers
Rust and BoneViking Canada
LimboTurnstone Press
Yesterday's PeopleBiblioasis
Most WantedThe Porcupine's Quill
Indigenous BeastsRaincoast Books
Bloodletting and Miraculous CuresDoubleday
The Hour of Bad DecisionsCoteau Books
Baby Khaki's WingsPenguin Canada
The Virgin SpyDouglas & McIntyre
Pardon Our MonstersEsplanade
Long After FathersCoteau Books
The Year I Got ImpatientOolichan Books
Seven Openings of the HeadConundrum Press
Boundary CountryThistledown Press
The Withdrawal MethodHouse of Anansi Press
Halifax for EvidenceThe Porcupine's Quill
OnceBiblioasis
Happiness and other DisordersKey Porter Books
The Butcher of PenetangCaitlin Press
Wax BoatsCaitlin Press
Vanishing and Other StoriesPenguin Canada
Overqualified ECW Press
Greedy Little EyesVintage Canada
Mennonites Don't DanceThistledown Press
Light LiftingBiblioasis
CrispNeWest Press
Bats or SwallowsInvisible Publishing
Not Anyone's AnythingFreehand Books
And Also SharksCormorant Books
Stopping for StrangersVéhicule Press
Copernicus AvenueCormorant Books
This Will Be Difficult to ExplainHamish Hamilton Canada
Bobcat and other storiesHamish Hamilton
The Iron BridgeGoose Lane Editions
Bull HeadArsenal Pulp Press
Ether FrolicsSybertooth
Floating Like the DeadMcClelland & Stewart
The Secret Life of FissionOberon Press
You Haven't Changed a BitUniversity of Alberta Press
A Recipe for Disaster & Other Unlikely Tales of LoveMother Tongue Publishing
Clear Skies, No Wind, 100% VisibilityHouse of Anansi
Just PretendingCoteau Books
American InnovationsHarperCollins
WallflowersHamish Hamilton
Chez l'ArabeHouse of Anansi
CircusMcClelland and Stewart
Hideout HotelCaitlin Press
Daydreams of AngelsHarperCollins
What You NeedInvisible Publishing
DebrisBiblioasis
In a Time of Drought and HungerOberon Press
Last WordsExile Editions
Bad Things HappenBiblioasis
Willem deKooning's PaintbrushHarperCollins
Double DutchAstoria
The Light That RemainsEnfield & Wizenty
Twelve Miles to MidnightBlack Moss Press
Annie Muktuk and Other StoriesUniversity of Alberta Press
Glass BeadsThistledown Press
Peninsula SinkingBiblioasis
The Doll's AlphabetCoach House Books
Life on MarsGoose Lane Editions
That Time I Loved YouHarperCollins
ZolitudeBiblioasis
That Tiny LifeHouse of Anansi
Things Are Good NowHouse of Anansi
EyeGuernica Editions
Frying Plantain
Watermark
Dig
Lost Boys
The Eater of Dreams