"My hope, my goal will be to use this prize to open some doors for other queer writers as doors have been opened for me." -Anuja Varghese
At the 2023 Writers' Trust Awards, Hamilton author Anuja Varghese won the $10,000 #DayneOgilvie Prize for LGBTQ2S+ Emerging Writers. During her acceptance speech, she shared her plans to use the prize platform to uplift other queer voices.
"Chrysalis is an electric array of queer, feminist, and mythical short stories. Varghese uses aspects of Hindu folklore and magical realism to transform her stories into powerful tales. Elements of queerness are sprinkled throughout, turning our perception of love stories on their head. The writing is focused and vivid with characters that are unapologetic and feisty; they love who they love and do not shy away from stepping into their powerful selves. These are not typical diasporic stories of food, identity, and belonging, but rather ones that weave together thematic complexities of the historical horrors of colonialism with queerness and joy." -2013 Dayne Ogilvie Prize jury (S. Bear Bergman, Nicholas Dawson, and Sharanpal Ruprai)
Learn more at writerstrust.com/DayneOgilvie
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[Video transcript auto generated]
[Robin Pacific] The winner of the 2023 Dane Ogilvie Prize, including a prize of $10,000, is Chrysalis by Anuja Varghese.
[Anuja Varghese] Hi. Oh, my goodness. Okay. I wrote some things on a post it note, in case I won, so I'm going to do some thank yous.
I would like to thank the jury for the Dayne Ogilvie Prize. This is incredibly meaningful to me. I would like to thank Robin Pacific for starting this prize. I would like to thank the Writers' Trust for everything you do to support Canadian writing, and especially queer writing through this very important prize.
I would like to shout out House of Anansi. They are an amazing team. Thank you for everything you've done to support my book, and so many other very good books.
I would like to shout out the other nominees in this category, Amanda, David, Gabrielle, Alex. Yes. Yes. Please, give them a round of applause. Your work is stunning and daring and pushes the boundaries of Canlit in all the best ways. I am inspired by you and honoured to be in your company.
I wanted to say that I have been very fortunate to receive mentorship from not one, but two previous Dayne Ogilvie winners in Farzana Doctor and Amber Dawn. Both just generous, brilliant, badass writers, and I'm so grateful to them for their support, and for leading by example in so many ways. I think it speaks to the power of queer mentorship.
My hope, my goal will be to use this prize to open some doors for other queer writers as doors have been opened for me.
I want to thank my mom, who is not here tonight, and who who doesn't always understand or, approve of my writing or my life, but but loves me and supports me anyway. And that's so hard to do. So thanks, mom. That English degree is not looking like such a bad idea anymore, is it?
I want to thank my partner, who is here. I don't get to do any of this without you, you know that. I'm honestly fairly useless. Like, I can't cook, I can't drive, I can't put together Ikea furniture. All I can do is write, and all I want to do most of the time is write, which is so impractical. So thank you. I love you, and you look very beautiful tonight if I didn't tell you.
Two other things I want to say very quickly - they gave me four minutes, so I'm going to take them. If you are a queer writer in the room or watching and you are worried there's no space for your stories or maybe your family doesn't support you, or your community doesn't feel safe for you, find your people. Find them in person or online. I promise you there is an audience for your work. I think this recognition is proof of that. Don't give up. Because we need your voice.
One more thing I wanted to say, we're in a weird time. Diverse books are being censored. Queer books are being shadow banned. We have artists, and authors and activists sort of being silenced for speaking up against genocide and misinformation. So, my heart right now is with the people of Palestine in their fight for peace and for freedom, which are not the same thing. I urge everyone here to do whatever you can to call for a ceasefire.
I leave you with a reminder, I know it's easy to feel powerless in these times, but I really believe there is power in storytelling as a means of resistance. There is power in all of our pens. Let us not be made afraid to use them. Thank you.
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The Dayne Ogilvie Prize is presented annually to a Canadian writer from the LGBTQ2S+ community for a debut book in any genre. The prize was established in 2007 by Robin Pacific in honour of her late friend, who was a respected editor, writer, literary manager, and passionate lover of all the arts.
26 июн 2024
