Awards: New Year's Honors in France, U.K., Canada

Danielle Steel was awarded France's highest award, the Legion d'honneur, the Telegraph reported, noting that the bestselling novelist "is published in 70 countries and 43 languages and joins other non-French culture figures Bono, Bob Dylan and Philip Roth to be honored by in recognition of service to France." Steel, who was made a "Chevalier" (Knight) of the order, lives in San Francisco and Paris. 

Authors Anthony Horowitz, K.M. Peyton, Alanna Knight and publisher Peter Owen were recognized in the U.K.'s 2014 New Year's Honors list, the Bookseller reported. Horowitz received an OBE for services to literature, Peyton an MBE for services to children's literature and Knight was also awarded an MBE. Owen, founder of Peter Owen Publishers, was given an OBE for services to literature. 


Douglas Coupland and Louise Penny were among the 90 new appointees named to the Order of Canada, Quillblog reported. Coupland was honored for "his contributions to our examination of the contemporary human condition as a novelist, cultural commentator and artist," and Penny for "her contributions to Canadian culture as an author shining a spotlight on the Eastern Townships of Quebec."