winner!

I was thrilled, a few weeks ago, to find myself on the shortlist of the 2007 Word Guild Awards in three categories. The Word Guild is an association of Canadian writers and editors who are Christian. Every year they sponsor a contest where Canadian editors, publishers and writers can enter a variety of writing (from song lyrics to books) published in the previous year. Winners in past years have been such Christian literary luminaries as J. I. Packer, Mark Buchanan and Phil Callaway.

This year's winners were announced at a gala in Toronto last Wednesday, June 13th. I was not able to attend, so had no idea who won until this morning. On checking the Word Guild website, I found the winners posted (at last!)

I won two awards!!! Not in any category for which I was on the shortlist, though, but in two categories for which there was no announced shortlist: Children/Young Adult article (for "A Touch of Wonder" an article about the sense of touch, published by Guide - it's not online, though) and in the Review category (for a book review of Presumed Guilty [by James Scott Bell] syndicated by Advance.net, and published in cincinnati.com).

I am smiling. This is hugely encouraging (not to speak of the fact that I get a little back from the wad I blew on entry fees).