Toronto Author Named Finalist for 2025 Whistler Independent Book Awards
Day of Epiphany, a haunting historical novel by Jerome J. Bourgault, sheds light on a dark Canadian chapter.
(Toronto, ON – October 2025) – Award-winning French-Canadian author Jerome J. Bourgault has been selected as a finalist at the 2025 Whistler Independent Book Awards in the fiction category with his sophomore novel Day of Epiphany. The novel is set against Québec’s Grande Noirceur (Great Darkness) of the 1940s and ’50s, and tells a haunting, riveting story inspired by the true events of the Duplessis orphans scandal, a much overlooked national tragedy. In collusion with the Catholic Church and the province’s medical authorities, Premier Maurice Duplessis facilitated the deliberate misclassification of hundreds of orphans as psychiatric patients, resulting in healthy children being subjected to experimental treatments and unspeakable levels of abuse.
A masterful blend of historical fiction and noir thriller, Day of Epiphany follows Sister Cassandra Lalonde as she confronts the combined forces of the Catholic Church, Quebec’s Union Nationale government, and psychiatric authorities to protect vulnerable children. This thrilling, emotionally resonant novel not only exposes a neglected chapter of Canadian history, but also explores themes of faith, authority, and moral agency.
Bourgault will be present at the Whistler Writers Festival this autumn where the winners will be announced. Founded by Stella Harvey in 2002, this annual event is held in Whistler, British Columbia, and welcomes 1,800+ guests every year. It is a multi-venue, multi-artist, multi-day event, showcasing authors who are local, regional and from across Canada. The event is being held in partnership with the Canadian Authors Association and The Whistler Writers Society.
About the Author:
Jerome J. Bourgault is a French-Canadian author and artist, born in Toronto and raised in Ottawa. His debut novel, The Perpetual Now, won the 2021 Best Indie Book Award for Science Fiction and the Eric Hoffer Award for Commercial Fiction, among other accolades. A self-confessed “science and history nerd”, he gravitates toward atmospheric and character-driven narratives that tackle issues of moral complexity, personal resilience and redemption. Jerome lives in Toronto with his family.
Publication Details:
- Publisher: FriesenPress (Oct 8, 2024)
- Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, e‑Book
- ISBN: 978-1-03-832249-4 (hc); 978-1-03-832248-7 (pb)
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Review copies are available upon request. The author is also available for interviews and appearances, particularly in the GTA.
EPK available here
Media Contact:
Dani Mogyoros
E: penandpinepr@gmail.com
T: 905-928-1990