Jenny Boychuk wins the 2019 CBC Nonfiction Prize

Victoria writer Jenny Boychukhas won the 2019 CBC Nonfiction Prize for Slow Violence, a story about transgenerational trauma, healingandreconciling past wrongs.

As the grand prize winner,Boychukwill receive $6,000 from theCanada Council for the Artsanda two-weekwriting residency at theBanff Centre for Arts and Creativity.

• Calling all writers! The CBC Short Story Prize is now open for submissions

Slow Violence was chosen by the jury comprised ofHarold R. Johnson, Elizabeth Renzetti and Mark Sakamoto.

"Slow Violence draws the reader into a world in which the desire for revenge is lost to the healing power of mercy,"the jury said in a statement."As is almost always the case, the perpetrator is a victim and his victim, also a perpetrator. This is a beautifully written story of grace. It is a story we all need."

• ReadSlow Violencehere

The jury also chose the shortlist. The other finalists wereLarry Gibbs for The Boondock Harvest 1966,Kathleen May for The Long Driveway,Tracey McGillivrayfor To the Uninitiated andEmily Stillwell for The Birthday Party.The finalists each received $1,000 from theCanada Council for the Artsand had their stories published onCBCBooks.

There were more than 2,200 English-language submissions to the prize in 2019. The longlist was chosen by a team of writers and editors from across Canada. The jury selected the finalists and the winner from a longlist of 31stories.

• How Jenny Boychuk wrote the story that won the 2019 CBC Nonfiction Prize

Francis Ouelletteis the winner of the French-language grand prize,Prix du rcit Radio-Canada, for hisstoryBerce-toi Raymonde.

TheCBC Literary Prizeshave been recognizing Canadian writers for 40 years. Past winners includeMichael Ondaatje, Carol Shields, Michael Winter and Frances Itani.

• Check out the past CBCLiterary Prizes winners

If you're interested in other writing competitions, check out theCBC Literary Prizes.

TheCBCShort Story Prizeis currently open and accepting submissions until Oct. 31, 2019.

Listen to Jenny Boychuk read Slow Violence