Coach House Books is launching a new imprint of nonfiction books by Indigenous authors.

The imprint, which will be called zaagigin, is one of two new editorial directives announced this week by the press.

‘The name is Anishinaabemowin and describes when a sprout comes out of the earth. It is related to the Anishinaabemowin word for love,” according to the advisory board. “The associated teaching about the nehiyaw words (which are very similar) tells us that love is about giving people room/support for them to grow, so providing room for Indigenous writers to bring forth new non-fiction works is an act of love.”

Coach House has assembled a four-person Indigenous board with full autonomy for acquisitions and decision-making about the imprint. The board is comprised of Denise Bolduc, Hayden King, Emily Riddle, and Kim Wheeler. A call for submissions is forthcoming.

Coach House has also enlisted six editorial consultants in an effort to broaden both their fiction and nonfiction lists. The consultants will act as scouts, and have been invited to bring in and serve as editors on fiction and nonfiction projects. The consultants are writers André Alexis, Tamara Faith Berger, David Berry, Amanda Leduc, Pasha Malla, and Suzette Mayr. A number of projects are already underway.