FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Toronto, May 19, 2020—The Editors’ Association of Canada (Editors Canada) has announced the finalists for the 2020 Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence.
The Tom Fairley Award is presented annually by Editors Canada to an exceptional editor who played an important role in the success of a project completed in English or French.
The cash award of $2,000 is made possible by Editors Canada and its generous donors. In recognition of their outstanding editorial performance, finalists will receive cash awards of $500 each.
SHORT LIST
Amanda Lewis (Vancouver, British Columbia)
Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality
by Bob Joseph with Cynthia F. Joseph
(Page Two)
Amanda Lewis overcame many challenges in developing Indigenous Relations: Insights, Tips & Suggestions to Make Reconciliation a Reality for a popular audience based on a training manual for professionals. Tight timelines meant the work had to be done in two months, with books on store shelves five months later. Her knowledge of and sensitivity to Indigenous issues and her respect for the authors’ approach were noteworthy for a book that aims to help non-Indigenous Canadians create respectful relationships and work well with Indigenous people.
Michael Leyne (Vancouver, British Columbia)
People Among the People: The Public Art of Susan Point
by Robert D. Watt
(Figure 1 Publishing)
Michael Leyne brought considerable skills to the full-length art book People Among the People: The Public Art of Susan Point, working with a first-time author and with Coast Salish artist Susan Point. Showing sound editorial judgment, he suggested organizing the material geographically rather than chronologically and increased the artist’s voice by posing questions and working her responses into the text; he also introduced readers to many Musqueam words. Finally, he worked closely with the creative team on the illustrations to ensure a high-quality final product.
Adele Simmons (Calabogie, Ontario)
Walk the Green Fairways
by Katherine Stevenson Helleur
(Chestnut Lane Creative)
Adele Simmons worked closely with Katherine Stevenson Helleur, the author of Walk the Green Fairways, over five years to craft this golf memoir, organizing 80 years of documents, scanning hundreds of images, sorting through multiple versions of anecdotes, interviewing the author, fact checking, editing, selecting images and seeking permissions. It was truly a labour of love.
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The judges for the 2020 Tom Fairley Award are respected Canadian editors.
Micheline Brodeur is a retired federal government communicator and almost retired freelance editor, since her only client is on book three in a series of seven young adult fantasy novels. Past chair of Editors British Columbia, Micheline spends her time volunteering at Lions Gate Hospital, reading, learning Spanish and travelling.
Zofia Laubitz is a freelance editor and translator in Montreal, Quebec. She has been a member of Editors Canada since 1995 and has volunteered at the national and branch levels. She is a former member of the Editors Québec branch executive.
Anne Louise Mahoney is a freelance editor with 30 years’ experience and is a past president of Editors Canada. She is based in Ottawa.
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About Editors Canada
Additional information about the Tom Fairley Award for Editorial Excellence is available on the Editors Canada website.
Editors Canada began in 1979 as the Freelance Editors’ Association of Canada to promote and maintain high standards of editing. In 1994, the word “Freelance” was dropped to reflect the association’s expanding focus to serve both freelance and in-house editors. As Canada’s only national editorial association, it is the hub for 1,300 members and affiliates, both salaried and freelance, who work in the corporate, technical, government, not-for-profit and publishing sectors. The association’s professional development programs and services include professional certification, an annual conference, seminars, webinars, and networking with other associations. Editors Canada has five regional branches: British Columbia; Saskatchewan; Toronto; Ottawa–Gatineau; and Quebec, as well as smaller branches (called twigs) in Barrie, Calgary, Edmonton, Manitoba, Kitchener-Waterloo-Guelph, Hamilton/Halton, Kingston, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Media contact
Michelle Ou
Senior Communications Manager
Editors Canada
416 975-1379 / 1 866 226-3348
communications@editors.ca