Montreal writer Chanel M. Sutherland wins 2022 CBC Short Story Prize

Chanel M. Sutherlandhas won the2022CBC Short StoryPrizeforBeneath the Softness of Snow.

The Montreal-based marketing director and writerwill receive $6,000 from theCanada Council for the Artsand will also attend a writing residency at theBanff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

• Calling all poets! The 2022 CBC Poetry Prize is now open!

Sutherland's winning story was published onCBC Books.You can readBeneath the Softness of Snowhere.

Sutherland is now a two-time CBC Literary Prize winner; she also won the 2021 CBC Nonfiction Prize for her story, Umbrella.

"When I first learned that I won, I could not believe it. I have been following theCBC Short StoryPrize since I was 19 and winning was always this distant dream. To receive this news was a very surreal and emotional moment,"Sutherland told CBC Books.

Born in St. Vincent and the Grenadines,Sutherlandmoved to Canada when she was 10 years old.Sutherland wroteBeneath the Softness of Snowbecause she wanted to write a story that captured those first moments of a young mother living in a foreign country one she felt was hostile towardher.

• Two-time CBC Literary Prize winner Chanel M. Sutherland talks about how her life inspired her winning stories

"I started writing this story because I found myself thinking a lot about my mom's experience.For many years, I was thinking abouthow I felt when my mom moved away from St. Vincent and I was left with my grandparents and I didn't seeher formany years," saidSutherland.

I was thinking about how I felt when my mom moved away from St. Vincent and I was left with my grandparents and I didn't see her for many years.- Chanel M. Sutherland

"We started having these conversations following Umbrella about her experience and what she felt when she was here and itsparked this story."

The 2022CBC Short StoryPrizejurors wereOmar El Akkad, Casey Plett and David Bergen.

"Beautifully and carefully told,Beneath the Softness of Snowis a story about attachment, detachmentand painful choices, centred on a woman who must leave her own children to make money caring for the children of her employer. It is a difficult thing to write in the second-person, but here the result is a quiet intimacy, where the reader is made complicit in the reality of how privilege works," the jury said in a statement.

"There is a deep sadness that runs through this story, a palpable grieving, but also a sense that, regardless of the circumstances, one can always hold fast to the steadying anchor of love."

The result is a quiet intimacy, where the reader is made complicit in the reality of how privilege works.- The 2022 CBC Short Story Prize jurors

The four finalists for the 2022CBC Short StoryPrizeare Susanna Cupidoof Sackville, N.B., forMe Against Jim Bailey,Jeremy Elder of Toronto forDesire Path, Nancy Hui Sulaimanof Windsor, Ont. forDinner With FriendsandAnna Ling Kaye of Vancouver forNesting Season.

They will each receive $1,000 from theCanada Council for the Arts.

The jury selected the shortlist from alonglist of 36 writersthat was compiled bya team of writers and editors from across Canada.

• 5 writers make the 2022 CBC Short Story Prize shortlist

The 2021 CBC Short Story Prizewinner was Kelowna, B.C., writer Corinna Chongfor herstory Kids in Kindergarten.

TheCBC Literary Prizeshave been recognizing Canadian writers since 1979. Past winners includeDavid Bergen,Michael Ondaatje,Carol ShieldsandMichael Winter.

• 14 famous Canadian writers who won CBC Literary Prizes

The 2022CBC Poetry Prizeis open for submissions. You have until May 31, 2022 at 11:59 p.m. ET tosubmityour original, unpublished poetry or collection of poems, up to 600 words.There is no minimum word requirement.

The2023CBC Short Story Prizewill open in September and the 2023CBC Nonfiction Prizewill open in January 2023.