Sue Farell Holler. Photo Credit: suefarrellholler.com

By Shane Clausing

Local author wins award

Grande Prairie Author picks up award at 2020 Alberta Literary Awards

Jun 7, 2020 | 8:15 AM

Grande Prairie’s Sue Farrell Holler is walking away from the 2020 Alberta Literary Awards with some hardware.

Farrell Holler’s book Cold White Sun won the R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature.

It was established in 1982 and is presented annually for excellence in writing by Alberta Writers for Children.

Ross Annett was a children’s author from Alberta and worked as a teacher during the 1920s. He published over 70 stories in The Saturday Evening Post from 1938-1970.

Farrell Holler says she was nominated by her publisher and it’s the first time she’s won an award at this show.

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Cold White Sun was also a finalist at the 2019 Governor General’s Awards in the Young People’s Literature-Text category. The Governor-General awards are one of the biggest awards in Canada.

Farrell Holler gave an idea about what the readers can expect to read when they pick up the book.

“Cold White Sun is a young adult title and it is a story of a child refugee from Ethiopia who was smuggled into the country. It’s the story of his escape and how he learned to survive in Canada.”

Farrell Holler says that the book has become very popular amongst young-adult readers.

“It’s received lots of attention and it’s based on a true story. One of the great things about this story is you know that parts of it are true. We did have to change some things to protect his identity, but it’s one of those stories that you’re able to immerse yourself into it and keep asking yourself, ‘What you might do, in that situation?’”

Farrell Holler tells EverythingGP that she was speaking with a friend who told her about the man’s story. She then interviewed him and wrote a book about him and now it’s an award winner.

Cold White Sun is available in bookstores or wherever you get your books. It is also available online as an e-book.