Neil Smith (writer)

{{Short description|Canadian writer and translator}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Neil Smith

| image = Neil Smith Author Photo.jpg

| caption =

| birth_date = 1964

| birth_place = Montreal, Quebec

| occupation = writer

| period = 2000s-present

| nationality = Canadian

| notableworks = Bang Crunch, Boo, Jones

| awards = Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction

| spouse =

| website =

}}

Neil Smith (born 1964) is a Canadian writer and translator from Montreal, Quebec.[https://quillandquire.com/authors/nice-and-easy-does-it/ "Nice and easy does it"]. Quill & Quire, Winter 2007. His novel Boo, published in 2015,Nicholas Cameron, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/book-reviews/review-neil-smiths-boo-is-a-novel-of-tremendous-imagination/article24567457/ "Review: Neil Smith's Boo is a novel of tremendous imagination"]. The Globe and Mail, May 22, 2015. won the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction.Ian McGillis, [https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/books/neil-smith-anita-anand-david-mcgimpsey-claim-qwf-literary-awards-prizes "Neil Smith, Anita Anand, David McGimpsey honoured at QWF Awards"]. Montreal Gazette, November 19, 2015. Boo was also nominated for a Sunburst AwardErin Balser, [https://www.cbc.ca/books/gemma-files-wins-2016-sunburst-award-for-uniquely-canadian-novel-1.4204033 "Gemma Files wins 2016 Sunburst Award for "uniquely Canadian" novel"]. CBC Books, July 13, 2017. and the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award,Becky Robertson, [https://quillandquire.com/awards/2016/03/02/awards-canadian-library-association-names-2016-ya-book-award-finalists/ "Awards: Canadian Library Association names 2016 YA Book Award finalists"]. Quill & Quire, March 2, 2016. and was longlisted for the Prix des libraires du Québec.

Smith published his debut book, the short story collection Bang Crunch, in 2007.John Burns, [https://www.straight.com/article-67103/bang-crunch "Bang Crunch: First fiction by Neil Smith"]. The Georgia Straight, January 24, 2007. It was chosen as a best book of the year by the Washington Post and The Globe and Mail, won the McAuslan First Book Prize from the Quebec Writers' Federation,[https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/montreal-s-heather-o-neill-wins-quebec-book-prize-1.668604 "Montreal's Heather O'Neill wins Quebec book prize"]. CBC Arts, November 22, 2007. and was a finalist for the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction. Three stories in the book were also nominated for the Journey Prize.Gordon Bowness, [https://www.dailyxtra.com/in-print-neil-smiths-bang-crunch-19691 "In print: Neil Smith's Bang Crunch"]. Daily Xtra, January 31, 2007.

Smith also has a degree in translation and translates from French to English.Michael Posner, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/getting-bang-for-his-pluck/article680317/ "Getting bang for his pluck"]. The Globe and Mail, March 5, 2007. The Goddess of Fireflies, his translation of Geneviève Pettersen's novel La déesse des mouches à feu, was nominated for the Governor General's Award for French to English translation at the 2016 Governor General's Awards.Mark Medley, [https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/governor-generals-literary-award-short-list-a-serious-case-of-deja-vu/article32229006/ "Governor-General's Literary Award short list a serious case of déjà vu"]. The Globe and Mail, October 4, 2016.

His newest book of fiction, the novel Jones, was released in August 2022. It is the harrowing story of a pair of siblings attempting to survive the horror show of their family.{{Cite web|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/reviews/2022/08/19/jones-may-be-a-common-name-but-neil-smiths-new-novel-is-uncommonly-powerful.html|title = 'Jones' may be a common name, but Neil Smith's new novel is uncommonly powerful |author=Robert J. Wiersema | website=Toronto Star| date=August 19, 2022}} It, too, was nominated for the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction.{{cite web | url=https://montrealgazette.com/entertainment/books/quebec-writers-federation-literary-awards-return-with-a-plot-twist | title=Quebec Writers' Federation Literary Awards return with a plot twist }}