Sawyer one of "The CanLit 30"

To my astonishment and delight, Quill & Quire, the Canadian publishing trade journal, has just released (as the cover story in its March 2008 issue) its first-ever list of "The CanLit 30: The most influential, innovative, and just plain powerful people in Canadian publishing." On the list: Robert J. Sawyer.

The unnumbered list takes ten pages in the magazine. I share a page with Geoffrey Taylor, the artistic director of the International Festival of Authors at Harbourfront and with powerhouse literary agents Michael Levine and Jackie Kaiser, of Westwood Creative Artists.

The write-up about me says, "When Penguin Canada snatched up domestic rights to science fiction giant Robert J. Sawyer last year, it felt like the Canuck industry was finally waking up to an entire genre. Not that Sawyer really needed the nod: he already sells more than respectably and has a shelf full of major sci-fi prizes. As a generous mentor to other writers, the proprietor of his own eponymous imprint at Red Deer Press, and a frequent media pundit, Sawyer is the public face of Canadian sci-fi."

Only three authors made the list: Margaret Atwood, Douglas Coupland, and Robert J. Sawyer.

Others on the list include Heather Reisman, CEO of bookstore chain Chapters/Indigo; Martin Levin, book-review editor for The Globe and Mail; and David Kent, president of HarperCollins Canada.

I am thrilled, honoured, and very pleased.

The Robert J. Sawyer Web Site