Newfoundland writer Kenneth J. Harvey announced the 2012 ReLit Award winners yesterday, at an event at the Ottawa International Writers Festival.

Suzette Mayr won in the novel category for her fourth book, Monoceros (Coach House Books). Greg Kearney’s Pretty (Exile Editions) won the short fiction award, and Patrick Friesen won the poetry award for Jumping the Asylum (Quattro Books).

The award, founded by Harvey in 2000, praises the best new books from Canada’s independent publishers. Each winner receives a handcrafted gold ring.