BACKGROUND
Born in 1955 in Windsor, Nova Scotia, Don Aker grew up in rural Hants County. He later attended Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, where he received his Bachelor of Arts (1976), Bachelor of Education (1977), and Master of Education (1991) degrees. He has been a classroom teacher since 1977, and he currently works as Literacy Mentor for the Annapolis Valley Regional School Board. The father of two daughters, he lives in Middleton, Nova Scotia, with his wife, who is his "first editor."
Don began writing in 1988 after taking a course for language arts teachers at the Martha's Vineyard Summer Writing Workshops in Massachusetts, where educators were encouraged to write along with their students. Since then, he has published 13 books and numerous shorter pieces, consulted on several projects for publishers of educational materials, conducted a variety of workshops on teaching and writing, and given readings across Canada. He is a member of the Writers' Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS), the Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC), the Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC), The International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers (CANSCAIP), and PEN Canada.
Return to top of page
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
Don's biography and literary accomplishments are included in Canadian Who's Who (University of Toronto Press).
Don's fourth novel, One on One, won the 2007 Canadian Authors Association Lilla Stirling Award. The novel was shortlisted for Nova Scotia's 2007 Hackmatack Award, Manitoba's 2007 Young Readers' Choice Award, Alberta's 2007 Rocky Mountain Book Award, and British Columbia's 2008 Stellar Book Award. The Canadian Children's Book Centre has made One on One a starred selection in Our Choice Magazine.
His third novel, The First Stone, received Atlantic Canada's 2004 Ann Connor Brimer Award and the Ontario School Library Association's 2004 White Pine Award. The Canadian Children's Book Centre has included The First Stone in its "Read Canada's Best" recommended booklist, and it was one of five novels chosen for discussion on CBC Radio's 2006 Young Canada Reads series. In addition, the Nova Scotia Department of Education has placed copies of The First Stone in every grade 9 classroom in the province.
His short story "Everything Gets Dead" was chosen runner-up in The Toronto Star's 2002 National Short Story Contest.
His second novel, Stranger at Bay, was shortlisted for the 1999 CNIB Torgi Award, the Ontario Library Association's 1998 Red Maple Award, the 1998 Ann Connor Brimer Award, and the 1998 Blue Heron Award. The Canadian Children's Book Centre selected Stranger at Bay for the 1998/99 CCBC "Our Choice" list.
His first novel, Of Things Not Seen, won the 1996 Ann Connor Brimer Award and the 1996 Canadian Authors Association Lilla Stirling Award, and it was shortlisted for the 1998 Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award. In addition, the Nova Scotia Department of Education has recommended Of Things Not Seen and Stranger at Bay for classroom study, including both novels in the province-wide 2003 Active Readers Initiative. The Canadian Children's Book Centre has made Of Things Not Seen a starred selection in Our Choice Magazine and included it in the CCBC "Read Canada's Best" recommended booklist.
His short story "Scars" was the third-place winner of Dandelion Magazine's 1991 National Fiction Competition.
His short story "The Test" won Canadian Living Magazine's 1990 National Literary Competition (short fiction category).
His article "V-Day: Anatomy of a Surgery" won the 1990 Atlantic Writing Competition (essay category).
His first short story, "The Invitation," won the 1989 Atlantic Writing Competition (short fiction category). "The Invitation" was longlisted for McClelland and Stewart's Journey Prize Award for best short fiction published in Canada in 1990, and in 1995, Telefilm Canada awarded him a Cross-Over Writer’s Grant to assist in adapting the story to a feature-length screenplay. His adaptation won the 1998 Atlantic Film Festival Script Development Competition.
Return to top of page
INTERVIEW
Read an interview with Don Aker, given in October 2000, conducted by Dave Jenkinson, University of Manitoba.
Return to top of page
|
