NEWS RELEASE

For immediate release

May 21, 2003

PAULO DA COSTA WINS THE CITY OF CALGARY

W.O. MITCHELL BOOK PRIZE

Calgary writer and editor Paulo da Costa is the winner of the 2002 City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize for his first book and selection of short stories The Scent of a Lie.

One of the jury members commented that "In this collection of linked stories, Paulo da Costa builds his fictional world with infinite patience and skill. Every line, every word takes the reader directly into the lives and homes of the extraordinary people of these villages." 

Paulo da Costa was born in Luanda, Angola, raised in Portugal and has lived in Calgary since 1989. The Scent of a Lie was published in 2002 (Ekstasis Editions) and also won the 2003 Commonwealth Writers Prize - Best First Book, Caribbean and Canada region. Paulo’s poetry and fiction have been published in literary magazines around the world and translated into Portuguese, Spanish, Slovenian and Italian. He is the editor of filling Station - a Calgary literary magazine.

Twenty-six entries were submitted for The City of Calgary W.O. Mitchell Book Prize. The other two shortlist finalists included Larissa Lai for Salt Fish Girl and Rajinderpal S. Pal for Pulse.

The City of Calgary established the W.O. Mitchell Book Prize in honour of the late Calgary writer W.O. Mitchell to recognize literary achievement by Calgary authors. The $2000 prize is awarded each year for an outstanding book published in the award year. The 2001 recipient was acclaimed writer Andrew Nikiforuk for Saboteurs, the riveting tale of the Wiebo Ludwig case. The W.O. Mitchell Book Prize is coordinated through a partnership between The City of Calgary, the Writers Guild of Alberta, and Pages Books on Kensington.

The cash award will be given out at the Calgary Awards presentation at the Calgary Municipal Building on May 28 where fourteen other 2002 Calgary Awards recipients will be recognized. The 2002 Calgary Awards presentation can be seen live on SHAW TV on May 28 and will be rebroadcast at a later date.