Frances Susan Itani, née Hill (born August 25, 1942) is a Canadian fiction writer, poet and essayist. She is a Member of the Order of Canada.

Biography

Itani was born in Belleville, Ontario,^[1] and grew up in Quebec. She studied nursing in Montreal and North Carolina, a profession which she taught and practised for eight years. However, after enrolling in a writing class taught by W. O. Mitchell, she decided to change careers.

She married Tetsuo (Ted) Itani, a retired Canadian Forces officer and humanitarian, in 1967. They resided in Ottawa, until his tragic passing due to a traumatic accident while out running.^[2][1]

Itani has published eighteen books, ranging from fiction and poetry to a children's book. Her 2003 novel Deafening was shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Award, and won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Caribbean and Canada region, and has been published in 16 countries.

Awards

Deafening was shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Award, and won the Commonwealth Writers Prize, Caribbean and Canada region.

Itani was the 2021 recipient of the Writers' Trust of Canada's annual Matt Cohen Award.^[3]