What a shindig! On Thursday, November 22nd (yes, American Thanksgiving), the U of T School of Continuing Studies hosted a lovely 10th anniversary Random House Student Awards reception at the Faculty Club. I had a chance to meet and talk with several of the other finalists and all three of this year’s winners. Such talent! And such interesting lives!

Lee Gowan was a gracious and generous host. Anne Collins, publisher of Knopf Random Canada Publishing Group and vice-president of Random House of Canada conveyed her passion for the written word. Joy Fielding shared some choice words of wisdom, including the importance of finishing pieces of writing, and the role of luck and timing. Several instructors were present as well.

The winner this year in “Three” 2012 is Lana Pesch for her story Let Me Call You Lovely. The runners up are Robert Delaney for his story Route 1 to China based on his time in China, and Derek Mascarenhas for his story So Far Away. After a short break, the finalists (including yours truly) read for 2-3 minutes from their submissions. Several of the stories left me hanging, and eager to know what happened next.

I read from “The Bonfire” in which a newlywed comes to terms with her husband’s homosexual past even as bloody race riots erupt around them in their native Colombo, Sri Lanka.

For a full list of finalists and their story titles, click here <http://learn.utoronto.ca/courses-programs/creative-writing/courses/random-house-creative-writing-award&gt;.