Frances Itani

Frances Itani, C.M., has written 17 books (best-selling novels, stories, poetry and children’s works), and essays and reviews for national and international publications. She is well known as a researcher, teacher and public speaker, and has been Writer-in-Residence at the Banff Centre and at several Canadian universities. She is three-time winner of the CBC Literary Award and twice won the Ottawa Book Award. Deafening earned a Commonwealth Prize, was translated in 17 countries, chosen for CBC’s ‘Canada Reads’ and ‘Combat des Livres,’ and ‘Book of the Year’ by Grant MacEwan University. Her novels have been shortlisted for the Giller Prize, International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and William Saroyan International Award. The Washington Post selected Requiem as a top fiction title of 2012. Born in Belleville, Ontario, Ms. Itani grew up in Quebec, lived in seven Canadian provinces, has travelled widely, holds a B.A. (U of Alberta) and M.A. (U of New Brunswick), studied Nursing at the Montreal General Hospital, with graduate work at McGill and Duke universities. She has been involved in humanitarian work all her life and established The Itani Award for Flute, presented annually to a young musician at the Ottawa Youth Orchestra Academy. She lives in Ottawa and is presently at work on two novels.