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'''Kai Thomas''' is a Canadian writer from [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]],[Ryan B. Patrick, [https://www.cbc.ca/books/6-black-canadian-writers-to-watch-in-2023-1.6733159 "6 Black Canadian writers to watch in 2023"]. [[CBC Books]], February 2, 2023.] whose debut novel ''In the Upper Country'' was the winner of the 2023 [[Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize]].[Nicole Thompson, [https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/kai-thomas-wins-atwood-gibson-writers-trust-fiction-prize-for-debut-novel/article_efce4016-ff9f-58cb-937c-af5cc65850e8.html "Kai Thomas wins Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize for debut novel"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', November 21, 2023.] |
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'''Kai Thomas''' is a Canadian writer from [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]],[Ryan B. Patrick, [https://www.cbc.ca/books/6-black-canadian-writers-to-watch-in-2023-1.6733159 "6 Black Canadian writers to watch in 2023"]. [[CBC Books]], February 2, 2023.] whose debut novel ''In the Upper Country'' was the winner of the 2023 [[Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize]].[Nicole Thompson, [https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/kai-thomas-wins-atwood-gibson-writers-trust-fiction-prize-for-debut-novel/article_efce4016-ff9f-58cb-937c-af5cc65850e8.html "Kai Thomas wins Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize for debut novel"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', November 21, 2023.] |
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The novel is a historical fiction about the [[Underground Railroad]], centring on a journalist for an [[abolitionist]] newspaper in rural Ontario who is interviewing a woman in jail for killing a [[bounty hunter]] who was trying to capture fugitive slaves.[[[Brett Josef Grubisic]], [https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2023/01/06/kai-thomas-in-the-upper-country-a-tree-planting-encounter-inspires-historical-black-fiction.html "Kai Thomas’ ‘In The Upper Country’: A tree-planting encounter inspires historical Black fiction"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', January 6, 2023.] It was also a shortlisted finalist for the 2023 [[Amazon.ca First Novel Award]],[Cassandra Drudi, [https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ "Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jessica Johns among 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel finalists"]. ''[[Quill & Quire]]'', May 4, 2023.] the [[Governor General's Award for English-language fiction]] at the [[2023 Governor General's Awards]][[https://www.burnabynow.com/the-mix/suzette-mayr-iain-reid-among-finalists-for-governor-generals-literary-awards-7732654 "Suzette Mayr, Iain Reid among finalists for Governor General's Literary Awards"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029223431/https://www.burnabynow.com/the-mix/suzette-mayr-iain-reid-among-finalists-for-governor-generals-literary-awards-7732654 |date=2023-10-29 }}. ''[[Burnaby Now]]'', October 25, 2023.] and the 2024 [[Walter Scott Prize]],[{{Cite web |date=2024-05-02 |title=Walter Scott Prize 2024 shortlist announced |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2024/05/02/251309/walter-scott-prize-2024-shortlist-announced/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |publisher=Books+Publishing}}] and the 2024 Michigan Notable Books award.[{{Cite web |date=01-05-2024 |title=2024 Michigan Notable Books |url=https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/public/mnb/previous-notables/2024-michigan-notable-books |access-date=04-18-2026 |website=Library of Michigan}}] |
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The novel is a historical fiction about the [[Underground Railroad]], centring on a journalist for an [[abolitionist]] newspaper in rural Ontario who is interviewing a woman in jail for killing a [[bounty hunter]] who was trying to capture fugitive slaves.[[[Brett Josef Grubisic]], [https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2023/01/06/kai-thomas-in-the-upper-country-a-tree-planting-encounter-inspires-historical-black-fiction.html "Kai Thomas’ ‘In The Upper Country’: A tree-planting encounter inspires historical Black fiction"]. ''[[Toronto Star]]'', January 6, 2023.] It was also a shortlisted finalist for the 2023 [[Amazon.ca First Novel Award]],[Cassandra Drudi, [https://quillandquire.com/omni/billy-ray-belcourt-jessica-johns-among-2023-amazon-canada-first-novel-finalists/ "Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jessica Johns among 2023 Amazon Canada First Novel finalists"]. ''[[Quill & Quire]]'', May 4, 2023.] the [[Governor General's Award for English-language fiction]] at the [[2023 Governor General's Awards]],[[https://www.burnabynow.com/the-mix/suzette-mayr-iain-reid-among-finalists-for-governor-generals-literary-awards-7732654 "Suzette Mayr, Iain Reid among finalists for Governor General's Literary Awards"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231029223431/https://www.burnabynow.com/the-mix/suzette-mayr-iain-reid-among-finalists-for-governor-generals-literary-awards-7732654 |date=2023-10-29 }}. ''[[Burnaby Now]]'', October 25, 2023.] the 2024 [[Walter Scott Prize]],[{{Cite web |date=2024-05-02 |title=Walter Scott Prize 2024 shortlist announced |url=https://www.booksandpublishing.com.au/articles/2024/05/02/251309/walter-scott-prize-2024-shortlist-announced/ |access-date=2024-05-10 |publisher=Books+Publishing}}] and the 2024 Michigan Notable Books award.[{{Cite web |date=01-05-2024 |title=2024 Michigan Notable Books |url=https://www.michigan.gov/libraryofmichigan/public/mnb/previous-notables/2024-michigan-notable-books |access-date=04-18-2026 |website=Library of Michigan}}] |
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Thomas is a Fiction writing mentor in the Master of Fine Arts program at the [[University of King's College]] in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[{{Cite web |title=Kai Thomas {{!}} University of King's College |url=https://ukings.ca/people/kai-thomas/ |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=University of Kings College {{!}} Halifax, Nova Scotia |language=en}}] |
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Thomas is a Fiction writing mentor in the Master of Fine Arts program at the [[University of King's College]] in Halifax, Nova Scotia.[{{Cite web |title=Kai Thomas {{!}} University of King's College |url=https://ukings.ca/people/kai-thomas/ |access-date=2025-09-19 |website=University of Kings College {{!}} Halifax, Nova Scotia |language=en}}] |
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