Dubois Gilles

Article by Stéphane Dufour
Le Journal de Cornwall
19 June 2008

The writer Gilles Dubois, who lives in Laggan, near Alexandria, was awarded on May 11, in Sudbury, the 2008 Radio Canada Award for his novel readers "Akuna-Aki, meneur de chiens " (published by Éditions L'Interligne d'Ottawa) The history is about an old man that becomes attached to a fatherless boy.

The novel award for the best work of French-Canadian fiction published during the past year was announced during a special edition of the literary magazine "Vous m'en lirez tant" broadcast on Radio Canada.

It was with deep emotion that Mr. Dubois went to fetch his price, which included for the first time a $ 5,000 scholarship. He was not expecting it at all given the quality of the five other finalists. "I told myself I was not going to win to avoid disappointment", he said.

The fact that the public was asked to make the choice of the winning work particularly affected the writer whose journey as a writer was strewn with pitfalls.

In fact, it took him 35 years of hard work and perseverance to finally be published once. "This is for me the best prize, the most prestigious of all because it is awarded by the readers, not by a jury that must make his choice according to specific guidelines," explained the writer for whom this award is also a personal confirmation of his writing.

"For 35 years I was told that I could not write and now I am told I have written the best work of fiction in the country. It's amazing to see how people feel. It gives me a strange feeling, "he added.

Although such price provides a good dose of encouragement to continue writing, Gilles Dubois is in no hurry to recur. Anyway, he already has four novels waiting to be published on the desk of his publisher. It remains plagued by anxiety. '' I'm afraid not to do as well with my other novels. That's why I'm going to look into my novels already at my editor, "he admitted.