Eduard Verkin

Verkin, Eduard Nikolayevich — a Russian children’s writer, also known for works in other genres.

Born in May 1975 in Vorkuta. Father — a miner, mother — a pharmacist. In 1993 he entered the Faculty of History of Syktyvkar State University, and then simultaneously the Faculty of Law of the same university. After completing his studies, in 1998–1999 he worked at one of the universities in Vorkuta as a lecturer in social studies. It was at that time that, because of the general hopelessness of existence, he decided to take up literature. In 2003, on the recommendation of the local writers’ organization, he was sent to the Higher Literary Courses at the A. M. Gorky Literary Institute. Married. Has a son. Author of short stories, novellas, and books for children.

Facts and the naked truth, because there is nothing better than truth. So. About two thousand kilometers from the capital, and all to the northeast. The city of Vorkuta. Vorkuta really does mean “bear corner,” and that is not a figure of speech. May 1975, winter. Eduard Verkin was born. His name was invented by his father. According to family legend, on the way to work — the bus slowly dragged itself to the mine, the ride took an hour, and there was nothing to do — his father came up with names. Strong memories. The “Gnездыshko” kindergarten. Firm cottage-cheese casseroles — the cursed legacy of the totalitarian regime. A magic horse from the dairy kitchen (all food was somehow delivered to the kindergarten on horseback), resembling a shaggy silver snowdrift. One was allowed to ride in the sleigh. The eight-year-old son of the kindergarten teacher, generously punished by his mother with a belt in the children’s restroom — one had to study better! Terrible, terrible stories, as expected, during nap time. One boy went to the store for bread in a blizzard and was never seen again — the snow-creatures carried him away. And one boy saw a snow-creature in his shed. And another boy had his dog dragged off by a snow-creature… An ordinary secondary school. The most ordinary, the most average. Ten years. No