Esi Edugyan wins the Giller Prize for “Half-Blood Blues,” Nov. 8, 2011

It was just announced this week that Esi Edugyen has won the Scotiabank Giller Prize for 2011 for her novel Half-Blood Blues, and I could not let the moment pass without offering my congratulations: to Esi, of course, for having written this wonderful book, but also to Thomas Allen Publishers, who saved the book from oblivion after the untimely demise of its original publisher, Key Porter Books. Kudos as well to editor Jane Warren, who brought this novel to Key Porter and lovingly prepared it for publication while still on staff there.

Those of you who own the original edition of this book will see my name in the fine print as the designer of the interior pages. A small thing, to be sure, but I am pleased and proud to be associated with such a prestigious win.

Finally, I will offer congratulations to designer Michel Vrana, who created the stunning final cover of Half-Blood Blues for Thomas Allen. Lovers of literary trivia may be interested to note that this was not the original cover (as created with author input and approved during my time at Key Porter); that original, unused design is now relegated here to my portfolio pages, as an example of what might have been.

Hearty congratulations to all! This is a fabulous and well-deserved award for a beautiful piece of work.