Holeman has new historical novel

Former Winnipegger Linda Holeman has a new historical novel this summer, her first with Random House Canada.

The Lost Souls of Angelkov, slated for release on July 7, tells the story of a Russian woman in the 1860s whose husband is killed and son is kidnapped and who then must set out of search for the boy.

The former teacher, who now lives in Toronto, has had her previous novels, including The Linnet Bird, The Moonlit Cage and In a Far Country, translated into 12 languages. Many of her recent titles have been published by Toronto-based McArthur and Co.

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Winnipeg writer Mary Anne Appleby is finding out just how much interest there is in one particular black bear cub.

Appleby is being presented with a gold medal in New York tomorrow at the Independent Publishers Book Awards for her self-published non-fiction title, Winnie the Bear, which tells the story of the bear named for our city who became A A. Milne's inspiration for Winnie the Pooh.

She has won for best regional non-fiction category in the Canada West region.

Earlier this year Appleby flew to Tennessee, where she did a presentation and signed copies of her book at an event for teddy bear collectors. One American retailer has ordered copies of her book to sell to collectors who buy a new bear, named Winnipeg, produced by the 130-year-old Steiff Company of Germany.

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Winnipeg-based arts and entertainment company ZenFri, spearheaded by writer and filmmaker Corey King, has rounded up two Pushcart Prize nominees and Journey Prize winner John Brooke for its first anthology of short fiction and art, entitled Warpaint.

The anthology, which seeks to feature bold and provocative new work, is edited by Winnipegger Bev Sandell Greenberg. It's available as a Kindle e-book for $4.99 from Amazon or directly from ZenFri's website. A second edition is planned for late 2012.

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The Thin Air Winnipeg writers' festival goes techno June 7 with a reading by sultry-voiced broadcaster Nora Young, host of the technology-based show Spark on CBC Radio, and a performance by the Karl Kohut Electric Quartet.

Young will read from her new book, The Virtual Self: How Our Digital Lives are Altering the World Around Us. Tickets for the event, at the Park Theatre, are $25.

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The Winnipeg Public Library is looking for aboriginal writers for its Last Word on First Words writing competition.

Awards -- including an e-reader and a collection of books by indigenous writers -- will be made in two categories: adult and teen writers. Winning entries will be posted on the library's website and excerpts will be featured in the library newsletter. The deadline for entries is June 30.

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Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 2, 2012 J8