Diana Atkinson

Diana Atkinson, née Wigod[1] is a Canadian writer, who was a shortlisted nominee for the Governor General's Award for English-language fiction at the 1995 Governor General's Awards for her novel Highways and Dancehalls.[2]

Diana Atkinson
BornDiana Wigod
Occupationnovelist
NationalityCanadian
Period1990s
Notable worksHighways and Dancehalls

Biography

Originally from Vancouver, British Columbia, she was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis as a child, and underwent frequent surgeries for the condition.[1] By her teenage years, she was psychologically troubled by post-operative trauma from the surgeries, dropping out of high school and spending some time working as a stripper.[1] Highways and Dancehalls was a roman à clef about her experience, although she resisted media attempts to sensationalize her past in the novel's promotion.[1] At the time of the award nomination, Atkinson was completing a degree at Concordia University in Montreal.[3]

The novel was also a shortlisted nominee for the 1995 Chapters First Novel Award.[4] A French-language translation, titled Strip, was published in 1998.[5]

Atkinson won a Western Magazine Award in 2000 for "Falling Slowly", an essay published in Vancouver Magazine,[6] and was nominated for a National Magazine Award in the same year for "From the Gut", an essay published in Western Living.[7]

References
  1. "Author tells how surgery led to life as stripper". Toronto Star, April 8, 1995.
  2. "68 finalists for literary awards". Vancouver Sun, October 27, 1995.
  3. "Nomination barely interrupts Atkinson's studies". Vancouver Sun, October 27, 1995.
  4. "Short list for 1st novel announced". The Globe and Mail, March 1, 1996.
  5. "Canadian bookseller waves flag in Paris". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, May 2, 1998.
  6. "Mix named top magazine in B.C.". Vancouver Sun, June 23, 2000.
  7. "National magazine nominees announced". Vancouver Sun, April 20, 2000.


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