Mélanie Vincelette is already a respected figure of the Quebec literary world. Polynya was short listed for the Governor General’s Award for French-language fiction in 2011 and was voted the best book of 2011 by La Presse. Her first novel, Crimes horticoles (Horticultural Crimes) was published in 2006 and won the Anne Hébert Prize. In 2006, she won the Radio Canada Book Award. Vincelette lives in Montreal.