A Kemptville author’s latest book has been named “Best Novel” in Canada.
For the second time in his career, Michael Blouin has won the national ReLit Award for Best Novel for 2020, for his novel Skin House.
Blouin is the first author to win twice in the category, after winning back in 2009 for his novel Chase and Heaven.
“I knew I was on the shortlist and I wasn’t really expecting to win because I’d won before,” Blouin said. “I was pretty excited though. I’ve always wanted to put that notch on my belt, and it was quite a thrill to be able to do it.”
Blouin made headlines earlier this year, after it was announced that Skin House would be included in a digital lunar library that will be part of the cargo for the Peregrine Lunar Lander Mission.
Skin House is Blouin’s sixth published novel, based in a fictionalized version of Kemptville, and tells the story of a pair of friends in a bar who are down on their luck.
Some of Blouin’s other notable accolades include winning the Diana Brebner Award, and the 2012 Lampman Award.
However, he feels winning the ReLit honour a second time tops them all.
“Awards are what they are, you can take them or leave them, but the fact remains that in the Canadian literature business, they kind of drive the show,” Blouin said. “So, you do consider yourself very fortunate when you’re able to snag one.”
To pick up a copy of Skin House, you can head here.