Nova Scotia Book Awards

Upcoming Events

STAY TUNED
Nova Scotia Book Awards Celebration

Save the dates.

 

Watch the shortlist announcement held March 30, 2026 (opens in a new tab) .

 

Our Gala will be held June 1, 2026.

The nominees for the 2026 Nova Scotia Book Awards are:

Dartmouth Book Award for Fiction

Renée Belliveau, A Sense of Things Beyond, Nimbus Publishing

Robert de la Chevotière, We Were Not Kings, Little A

Danica Roach, Five Seasons of Charlie Francis, Nimbus Publishing

Margaret and John Savage First Book Award (Fiction)

Danica Roach, Five Seasons of Charlie Francis, Nimbus Publishing

Julie Strong, The Tudor Prophesy, OC Publishing

Brenda Tyedmers, Mrs. Walford, self-published

Margaret and John Savage First Book Award (Non-Fiction)

Ken Hynes, Service and Sacrifice: Extraordinary Nova Scotians in the Great War, Nimbus Publishing

James MacDuff and Mirriam Mweemba, The Illogical Adventure: A Memoir of Love and Fate, Nimbus Publishing

Jo-Ann Roberts, Storm the Ballot Box: An Insider’s Guide to a Voting Revolution, Nimbus Publishing

Submissions are now closed for the 2026 season.

Books are now being accepted for the Nova Scotia Book Awards.

Books of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry by Nova Scotia writers are eligible.

Because the Nova Scotia Book Awards bring together awards administered by two different nonprofit groups, please take care to submit to the right organization.

  • Books of poetry published by Nova Scotian authors may be eligible for the Maxine Tynes Nova Scotia Poetry Award, a $2,000 prize. Please submit to the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia
  • Non-fiction books published by Nova Scotian authors may be eligible for the Evelyn Richardson Non-Fiction Award, a $2,000 prize. Please submit to the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia
  • Novels published by Nova Scotian authors may be eligible for the Dartmouth Fiction Award, a $2,000 prize. Please submit to the Dartmouth Book Awards
  • Debut novels published by Nova Scotian authors may be eligible for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award (Fiction), a $2,000 prize. Please submit to the Dartmouth Book Awards
  • Debut non-fiction books published by Nova Scotian authors may be eligible for the Margaret and John Savage First Book Award (Non-fiction), a $2,000 prize. Please submit to the Dartmouth Book Awards
  • Non-fiction books that inspire others and challenge the status quo may be eligible for the George Borden Writing for Change Award, a $2,000 prize. Please submit to the Dartmouth Books Awards

Complete submission details are available for each award by the organization noted. 

Save the date! The Nova Scotia Book Awards will take place at 7 pm on Monday, June 1, 2026, at Brightwood Golf and Country Club in Dartmouth.