Media Release – Speculative Fiction Book of the Year Award renamed to honour Douglas Barbour
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Edmonton – The Book Publishers Association of Alberta (BPAA) is pleased to announce that the “Speculative Fiction Book of the Year” award has been renamed the “Douglas Barbour Award for Speculative Fiction”. The inaugural renamed award will be presented to an Alberta publisher at the Alberta Book Publishing Awards in 2022.
“Douglas Barbour has been a tireless supporter of the science fiction and fantasy scene of Alberta book publishing for over half a century. He has brought his extensive experience to the Speculative Fiction jury of the Alberta Book Publishing Awards for many years,” said Kieran Leblanc, executive director of the BPAA. “It is wonderful to be able to recognize his contributions in this way.”
Barbour’s doctoral dissertation, “Patterns of Meaning in the SF Novels of Ursula K. Le Guin, Joanna Russ and Samuel R. Delany, 1962-1972,” for Queen’s University in 1976, was the first Canadian doctoral dissertation based on science fiction. Barbour went on to write a full-length book on the works of Samuel R. Delany, co-found Longspoon Press (1980-87), and co-edit the anthology Tesseracts 2. He has also taught science fiction and fantasy courses at the University of Alberta for decades, and is now a Professor Emeritus in the Department of English & Film Studies. Barbour currently serves as President of the NeWest Press Board of Directors.
“I’m really honoured to have this award named after me. It recognizes both my continuing interest in Science Fiction and Fantasy and the contributions to the field I have made here in Alberta,” said Douglas Barbour. “I want to thank the BPAA for this singular honour; it means a lot.”
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For more information contact:
Kieran Leblanc, Executive Director
c. 780.918.8375
e. kleblanc@bookpublishers.ab.ca
Media Release – Speculative Fiction Book of the Year Award Renamed