Left: Evan Jones
York alumnus Evan Jones (BA '99, Creative Writing, MA '03, Interdisciplinary Studies) has reason to beam these days, with the news that his poetry book, Nothing Fell Today But Rain (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2003), is a finalist in the 2003 Governor General’s Literary Awards. The winner will be announced Nov. 12.
A total of 70 books (five in each category, English and French) have been nominated for this year’s awards, which are funded, administered and promoted by The Canada Council for the Arts. Award categories are fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, children’s literature (text and illustration) and translation.
Nothing Fell Today But Rain is a first book for Jones, who is a freelance editor and poetry editor with Fitzhenry & Whiteside Publishers. He has also edited two anthologies of poetry – New Canadian Poetry (2000) and Introductions: Poets Present Poets (2001).
"Together as a country, it is vitally important that we recognize, at the highest level, the creative talents of our poets, authors, playwrights and translators," noted Governor General Adrienne Clarkson when the nominees were announced. "The rich and varied works that have been nominated for this year’s Governor General’s Literary Awards breathe life into our spirit and our national psyche. Let us read and celebrate them."
The Canada Council for the Arts funds, administers and promotes the Governor General’s Literary 
Awards, worth $15,000 each. The publisher of each winning book will receive $3,000 to support promotional activities. Non-winning finalists will each receive $1,000 in recognition of their selection as finalists.
"The books nominated for this year’s Awards reflect both the excellence and the diversity of Canadian writing today," said Jean-Louis Roux, Chairman of the Canada Council for the Arts. They provide readers young and old with unforgettable characters, settings, images and experiences."
"We are proud to join the Canada Council in congratulating all the finalists and celebrating their outstanding contribution to Canadian writing, illustration and translation," said Gilles Ouellette, president and CEO of Private Client Group and deputy chairman of BMO Nesbitt Burns, sponsor of the awards for the past 17 years.