HUMBOLDT 鈥� A Humboldt-based author is on the shortlist for a Saskatchewan Book Award.
Barbara Langhorst鈥檚 novel, Want, was nominated for a Regina Public Library Book of the Year Award.
The author said she found out when she received a phone call during a work break.
鈥淚 was quite shocked that I would be nominated for book of the year,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 had been hoping for a nomination in fiction, but that鈥檚 a lesser category. And no, it surprised me.鈥�
Want is one of five books being considered for the category.
Langhorst was modest about her chances of winning.
鈥淭here鈥檚 such stiff competition that it鈥檚 highly unlikely.鈥�
The award winners will be announced at a ceremony April 27 in Regina.
Want follows Delphine Boudreau, who lives on a hobby farm with her husband Hugo. As Delphine was growing up, there was a lot of trouble in her family.
鈥淗er dad was kind of a conspiracy theorist, her brother was in trouble with the law all of the time and her aunt was married to a KGB mole. The way her mother coped with that was to redecorate.鈥�
Three decades later, Delphine wants to remodel her kitchen when her brother comes and wants to take the family off the grid.
鈥淪he鈥檚 torn between this new kitchen and what might be the salvation of the family,鈥� Langhorst said.
The plot ensues from there.
Langhorst鈥檚 inspiration for the novel came from close to home.
鈥淚 have always wanted a new kitchen,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t is a problem I couldn鈥檛 seem to get rid of, so I wrote a book about it, but obviously, I haven鈥檛 done any of the things my character does.鈥�
Langhorst has won a book award before, a Saskatchewan poetry book of the year award for her first book, restless white fields.
