When Sheila Koffman opened Toronto’s Another Story Bookshop 30 years ago, publishing and selling books about social justice by and about culturally diverse and disenfranchised figures – in particular for young readers – was considered a fringe business.
Angie Abdou on seeking permission to use First Nations stories
When I embarked on writing what would become my latest novel, I did not set out to write about Indigenous characters. I began composing a work of straight-up horror, hoping to be the next Stephen King. But that’s not how In Case I Go turned out. The connection between where I started and where I ended seems obvious now. After all, Canada’s treatment of its Indigenous peoples is horrific.
Innovative new services born from the bankruptcy of Douglas & McIntyre
When Douglas & McIntyre – once one of Canada’s largest independent book publishers – filed for bankruptcy in fall 2012, the news sent reverberations throughout the industry.
Q+A: Erinne Paisley on using books to encourage social media activism
Erinne Paisley is the author of Can Your Smartphone Change the World?, the first in a new series of nonfiction pop activism books, which encourages and teaches young people to use social media for good
Casey Plett on co-editing an anthology of sci-fi and fantasy from transgender writers
“Who needs to imagine different worlds? Well, trans people certainly do,” says editor Casey Plett.
Q&A: Kidlit scholar Heba Elsherief on the problematic representation of Muslim girls in children’s literature
In her work as a PhD student at University of Toronto and children’s literature teacher at Seneca College, Heba Elsherief has turned her attention toward the representations of Muslim characters in children’s literature.
Vancouver Writers Fest’s Hal Wake is celebrated for his authors-first philosophy
Hal Wake stands will stand down from the Vancouver Writers Fest this fall.
Q&A: Artist Golboo Amani on her Public Reading performance piece
Q&Q talks to Toronto artist Golboo Amani about her latest performance piece, Public Reading, which will be part of the SummerWorks festival.
Shannon Webb-Campbell: re-envisioning editorial practices on Turtle Island
The protection and dissemination of narrative and poetics are integral to the future of Indigenous publishing, says Shannon Webb-Campbell.
The party continues at Toronto’s Glad Day Bookshop
The world’s oldest LGBTQ bookstore lives again.
Authors, colleagues, and friends recall “complicated guy” Avie Bennett
At the age of 57, Avie Bennett could have started winding down an immensely successful career to retire comfortably on the millions he’d made developing shopping plazas. Instead he became a Canadian book publisher.
Authors roundtable: how Canadian food writing has come into its own
Canadian food writing has come into its own, despite the lack of a homegrown Anthony Bourdain or Ruth Reichl. Three authors share their insights into the country’s culinary prose.
Woodbridge Farm Writers’ Retreat launches book imprint
The Woodbridge Farm Writers’ Retreat is expanding its activities to include book publishing.
Remembering Margaret Paull, HarperCollins’s influential art director
In 1944, Margaret V. Paull completed her course work at the Ontario College of Art, before embarking on a long and influential career in Canadian publishing.
Increased local marketing helped draw larger crowds to the second Festival of Literary Diversity
The second edition of the Festival of Literary Diversity drew bigger crowds than its inaugural 2016 launch.
Annie Koyama reflects on 10 years of comics publishing
Annie Koyama’s origin story is as compelling as any of these superhero tropes.
Winnipeg seeks its first-ever poet laureate
The city of Winnipeg has announced that it is seeking its first-ever Poet Laureate, to be selected this fall.
Dennis Lee returns with a career-spanning collection
Anansi, the press Dennis Lee co-founded 50 years ago, will release the new volume.
Book clubs meet the mark
Book clubs often are dismissed as an excuse for women to gossip and drink wine. But it’s hard to ignore their influence on sales.
Deals: CanLit legend Timothy Findley is finally recognized with his first comprehensive biography
After revisiting Timothy Findley’s breakout novel, 1977’s The Wars, for one of her books, Vancouver scholar Sherrill Grace discovered there wasn’t enough information on the Canadian novel (or its author) to satisfy her curiosity.
London, Ontario, book-buying fair wraps up successful February event, adds author presence
London, Ontario’s regional book-buying fair finished its first event of 2017 this week.
How three indigenous authors cut through the noise of social media to become online activists
How Daniel Heath Justice, Katherena Vermette, and Gregory Scofield have used social media platforms for social justice.
Paul Seesequasis turns social media project of aboriginal life into book deal
A series of historic photos of indigenous life that Saskatchewan author and journalist Paul Seesequasis has been curating on his social media feeds will be published in book form by Penguin Random House Canada.
A lighter tone in Eden Robinson’s new novel parallels a positive uptick in the author’s life
If there was a prize for the best author laugh in CanLit, Eden Robinson’s would be at the top of the list.
Alexandra Shimo and First Nations leaders launch non-profit to help youth on reserves
Following the release of Alexandra Shimo’s memoir last fall, the author wondered what else she could do to help a First Nations community struggling with poverty and the legacy of residential schooling.
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