Sask. raised career journalist and accomplished author, Elinor Florence, was announced as this year's recipient of the Wallace Stegner Grant for the Arts. 

The grant entitles Florence to stay a month in the coveted house in Eastend of well-known Pulitzer prize-winning writer, Wallace Stegner. 

Florence grew up on a farm near North Battleford that her brother now operates, she still owns a quarter-section of the land there and visits every summer.

"I knew of (Wallace) and had read all his books and admired him for many years before I applied to stay in his house," she said. "I'm really excited to soak up the atmosphere and bask in the reflected glory of being in the presence of such an esteemed author."

During her stay in June, Florence is looking forward to appearing at two public events where she'll be presenting about her Amazon bestselling war-time novel, 'Bird's Eye View'. 

In addition to writing another novel called 'Wildwood', Florence has written for 'Reader's Digest' for eight years, has worked for papers or magazines in four provinces, and owned the Columbia Valley Pioneer newspaper until she sold it in 2010. 

"Even though I have lived in B.C. for many years now, my heart will always belong to Sask.," stated Florence. "When I heard about the Wallace Stegner Grant for the Arts, I just was so excited at the idea of spending a month in my beloved province, seeing the sunsets, the sunrises, and enjoying the prairies."

Anyone interested in Stegner or the work Florence is doing is welcome to stop by the Wallace Stegner House.