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Boorman’s debut novel short listed for Alberta Readers’ Choice Award

A novel written by an Edmonton author who grew up in Rimbey has been short listed for the Alberta Readers’ Choice Award.
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Kate Boorman’s novel WINTERKILL has been shortlisted for the Alberta Readers’ Choice Award.

A novel written by an Edmonton author who grew up in Rimbey has been short listed for the Alberta Readers’ Choice Award sponsored by the Edmonton Public Library.

Kate Boorman’s debut young adult fiction, WINTERKILL is one of five on the short list.

“I was very thrilled and shocked,” said Boorman in a telephone interview, speaking from Edmonton.

In her book, Boorman takes the reader on a thrilling journey of alternate history where a fearsome mysterious enemy isolates a frontier settlement and one ostracized girl must keep them from being lost forever.

The strong female heroine is a teenage girl, whose growing pains, as she learns to deal with life, love and family secrets, can be felt by all readers who turn the pages of the book.

Boorman said creating the young heroine was an interesting process.

“That age is so interesting.”

However, even though the book is marketed as a young adult novel, it is suitable for all ages.

“I write for everyone,” she said.

Boorman was inspired by the history of North America as she created the settlement of the west in her book. As the story unfolds, Emmeline, the young heroine finds love and fights to uncover the truth about her family’s legacy in a community ruled by fear.

In a press release from Abrams/Amulet, the book’s publisher, James Dashner, New York Times bestselling author of THE MAZE RUN-NER series said “I ripped through WINTERKILL’S pages, desperate to know the secrets behind this captivating world. Equal parts creepy, thrilling and touching, it’s a must-read, and Emmeline is a character I won’t soon forget.”

Boorman’s career in writing fiction began a few years ago, when she decided, as a stay at home mom with two small children, she needed a creative outlet.

A graduate of the University of Alberta with a Masters in Art, Boorman was by no means a novice writer, but her field of expertise centered on non-fiction and research articles.

She found fiction to be a new and exciting field.

“I found that I really loved it,” she said.

The sequel to WINTERKILL is to be published Oct. 14 of this year and the third book is slated to be completed in the fall of 2016.

Boorman, who is the daughter of Dr. Michael and Annette Boorman was born in Nepal and grew up in Rimbey. Her pastimes include sitting under starry skies with friends and traveling to far-off lands with her husband and children.

Visit her at kateaboorman.com and follow her on Twitter at @kateboorman.