Toronto, September 18, 2019 -- Tilly and the Crazy Eights is the winner of the First Nation Communities READ PMC Indigenous Literature Award for 2019-20, in the Adult category. The novel follows Tilly's road trip with eight elders from British Columbia to New Mexico, an experience none of them will ever forget. They each choose a stop--somewhere or something they've always wanted to experience--on the way to their ultimate goal, the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in Albuquerque. Their plan is to travel to Las Vegas, Sedona, and the Redwood Forests, with each destination the inspiration for secrets and stories to be revealed. The journey proves to be powerful medicine as they laugh, argue, heal, and confront their hopes and dreams along the way. Monique Gray Smith's life's work is to raise awareness of the resilience of Indigenous peoples through her writing, consulting work, keynotes, workshops, and her "Love is Medicine" podcast. Tilly and the Crazy Eights is the follow-up novel to Monique's first book for adults, Tilly: A Story of Hope and Resilience . An award-winning writer for children, she has been touring extensively to talk about her books including Speaking our Truth: A Journey of Reconciliation , making an impact with young people across North America.

Praise for Tilly and the Crazy Eights : "Most powerfully, Smith infuses her novel with joy, love, and laughter and suggests that these could be what determine the future after all."- Quill & Quire "Go on a road trip of a lifetime with Monique Gray Smith's new novel . Reconciliation and healing are at the heart of all Smith's creative output and her work as an international speaker." - The Toronto Star.