Kingston author and Queen’s professor wins Trillium Book Award

Kingston author and Queen’s professor Otoniya (Juliane) Okot Bitek has been named the English-language winner of the 2026 Trillium Book Award for her debut novel, “We, the Kindling.”Okot Bitek is no stranger to literary recognition. A Professor of Black Studies at Queen’s University, cross-appointed in Gender Studies and English Literature, she is also a creative writing professor and an acclaimed writer who has received both national and international praise, particular