John Brady McDonald. (Tina Pelletier)

By Nigel Maxwell

Author

Paddockwood author wins two provincial book awards

May 9, 2024 | 5:00 PM

Referring to the number of times he’s been a finalist for a book award, John Brady McDonald jokes he’s always been the bridesmaid but never the bride.

However his book, Carrying It Forward: Essays from Kistahpinânihk, has received two Saskatchewan book awards for Non-Fiction and Indigenous Peoples’ Writing.

“It’s a huge honor and its very humbling to go from being a kid in the West Flat, using this ability to put words together in somewhat coherent sentences, to being on a stage like that receiving one of the country’s most prestigious literary awards,” he said. “It’s funny, as a writer I’m speechless”

The wide-ranging collection in the book looks at everything from McDonald’s experience of residential school to northern firefighting to his time in the United Kingdom, where he “discovered” and “claimed” the island for the First Peoples of the Americas. Describing his experience writing it as way out of his wheelhouse, he explained that as a poet and spoken word artist, you have the opportunity to hide behind a lot of fancy words and phrases.

“With this book the training wheels were off and you don’t have that ability when you’re writing non-fiction. You’re telling the truth as best as you can,” he said.

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And while noting it can be cathartic to delve into those dark times, and apply them to pen and paper, McDonald also explained when you are writing about these sensitive subjects, you are also opening wounds and some of those wounds can be 20 to 30 years old.

“And so with this, I had to ensure I had my support structure in place,” he said. “Visiting those dark rooms at times was scary.”

Acknowledging the awards represent an opportunity to inspire young Indigenous writers, McDonald, noting 20 years of rejection before his writing career took off, offered the advice to never give up. He then noted how in his own personal experience, he was very fortunate to have good supports who gave a kid from the West Flat a chance.

“Whatever your hustle is, whatever your art form, if it’s writing, music, drama or art, never stop creating but create for yourself and not for the masses. Create the work you want to put out and it will be seen.”

Donning a flat cap when he attended the awards gala, McDonald paid tribute to his grandfather/ Metis leader Jim Brady. (Facebook)

The Saskatchewan Book Awards’ 31st Anniversary Gala, was held on May 3, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel and Conference Centre in Regina and drew a crowd of 175 guests.

Those in attendance included Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, Honourable Russ Mirasty, and Donna Mirasty, as well as award sponsor representatives and members and supporters of Saskatchewan’s vibrant literary community.

This year’s awards featured 36 books that were selected from 195 titles entered for 13 book awards.

Miriam Körner won in the Children’s Literature category for Fox and Bear (Red Deer Press/Fitzhenry & Whiteside), while Solomon Ratt’s book kâ-pî-isi-kiskisiyân ᑳ ᐲ ᐃᓯ ᑭᐢᑭᓯᔮᐣ The Way I Remember (University of Regina Press) won the City of Regina Award.

It also won the Publishing Award and was nominated in six categories.

Saskatoon author, Maria Endicott’s book, The Observer, was a double award winner for City of Saskatoon Book Award and the Book of the Year Award.

SBA was created in 1993 and is the only provincially-focused book awards program in Saskatchewan.

nigel.maxwell@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @nigelmaxwell