Sheila Heti is the author of seven books, including the novel How Should a Person Be? which was named a New York Times Notable Book; the story collection The Middle Stories; and the novel Ticknor. Her books have been translated into twelve languages, and her writing has been featured in various publications, including the New York Times, London Review of Books, the New Yorker, n+ 1, McSweeney’s, Harper’s and the Believer. She lives in Toronto. Sheila has been selected for the Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist for her novel, Motherhood.

Paige Cooper was born and raised in the Rocky Mountains. Her stories have appeared in The Fiddlehead, West Branch, Michigan Quarterly Review, Gulf Coast Online, Canadian Notes & Queries, The New Quarterly, Minola Review, Cosmonauts Avenue, and have been anthologized in The Journey Prize Stories and Best Canadian Stories. She lives in Montreal. Paige's story collection Zolitude is one of 12 books selected for the 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist.

Lynn Coady was shortlisted in 2011 for her book, The Antagonist and won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2013 for Hellgoing.

Elizabeth Hay was shortlisted in 2000 for her book, A Student of Weather. She won the Scotiabank Giller Prize in 2007 for her book, Late Nights on Air.

David Adams Richards was longlisted in 2006 for his book, The Friends of Meager Fortune and in 2008 for The Lost Highway. He won the Giller Prize in 2000 alongside Michael Ondaatje for his book, Mercy Among the Children.