Gail Anderson-Dargatz

Gail Kathryn Anderson-Dargatz (born November 14, 1963) is a Canadian novelist.<ref name=canenc>"Gail Anderson-Dargatz". The Canadian Encyclopedia, February 20, 2007.</ref>

Anderson-Dargatz was born in Kamloops, British Columbia, and grew up in Salmon Arm. She studied creative writing at the University of Victoria<ref name=canenc/> and taught in the MFA program at UBC.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She published her debut short story collection The Miss Hereford Stories in 1994, and received a nomination for the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour in 1995.<ref name=freed>"Montreal writer wins humor award". Toronto Star, May 4, 1995.</ref>

Her first novel, The Cure for Death by Lightning (1996), was an experimental yet accessible work whose story unfolded partly through narrative and partly through a collection of recipes and household tips belonging to the narrator's mother.<ref>"Lightning strikes genius in first novel". Edmonton Journal, May 12, 1996.</ref> A Canadian bestseller that year, it won the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize,<ref>"B.C. Book Prizes: `Lightning' strikes at awards". The Province, May 18, 1997.</ref> and was nominated for the Giller Prize<ref>"Giller Prize goes to Atwood". Montreal Gazette, November 7, 1996.</ref> and the Books in Canada First Novel Award.<ref>"Anne Michaels awarded $5,000 first novel prize". Toronto Star, May 28, 1997.</ref>

Her second novel, A Recipe for Bees, was published in 1998.<ref name=remarry>"Book research prompts her parents to remarry". Victoria Times-Colonist, September 18, 1998.</ref> Based on her own parents' early relationship, her process of researching the book led her parents to rekindle their romance after having divorced in 1981, and ultimately to their remarriage to each other.<ref name=remarry/> The book was a Giller Prize finalist in 1998.<ref>"Quality evident in Giller nominations: Canadian authors recognized internationally for originality". St. Catharines Standard, October 17, 1998.</ref>

She has since published the novels A Rhinestone Button (2002),<ref>"Words, images woven with skill: Author describes everyday life in small rural community". Victoria Times-Colonist, December 15, 2002.</ref> Turtle Valley (2007),<ref>"Ghosts weave in and out of Turtle Valley for a scary read". Hamilton Spectator, September 29, 2007.</ref> The Spawning Grounds (2016),<ref>"A river runs through it: Gail Anderson-Dargatz's latest novel is a coming-of-age story with a very strange supernatural twist". The Globe and Mail, September 17, 2016.</ref> The Almost Wife (2021),<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and The Almost Widow (2023).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Bibliography

Short story collections

• The Miss Hereford Stories (1994) – Template:ISBN

Novels

• The Cure for Death by Lightning (1996) – Template:ISBN
• A Recipe for Bees (1998) – Template:ISBN
• A Rhinestone Button (2002) – Template:ISBN/Template:ISBN
• Turtle Valley (2007) – Template:ISBN
• The Spawning Grounds (2016) – Template:ISBN
• The Almost Wife (2021) – Template:ISBN
• The Almost Widow (2023) – Template:ISBN

External links

• Template:Official website
• Archives of Gail Anderson-Dargats (Gail Anderson Dargatz fonds, R11697) are held at Library and Archives Canada