In 1927, Mazo de la Rochewas an impoverished writer in Toronto when she won a $10, 000 prize from the American magazine, Atlantic Monthlyfor her novel, Jalna. The book became an immediate bestseller and went to be adapted for stage, screen and television. Known for creating unforgettable charactes that come to life for her readers, Mazo de la Roche, is truly an icon of Canadian literature.