CNQ 78 is at the Printer

CNQ 78 is at the printer. A special issue guest edited by David Hickey on the poetry of John Smith, it brings contributions from Hickey, Zach Wells, Ross Leckie and Smith himself, among others, alongside an excellent essay by David Mason, an interview with Norm Sibum, a short story by Terence Young and a piece on theatre in Canada by Jane Wells. Books reviewed include A. F. Moritz's The Sentinel, Annabel Lyon's The Golden Mean, David Adams Richards' God Is, John Terpstra's Skin Boat, Adam Getty's Reconciliation, and much else besides.

This is also the last issue in the current format. Issue 79 will unveil a completely new look courtesy of Seth. There will be new features as well, and a wider range and focus. There will also be something special in each issue for subscribers not available on the newsstand: finely printed collectibles, including bookmarks, broadsides, chip and chapbooks, prints and other ephemera, produced by some of the best printers and publishers in the country, including GreenBoathouse Press, Gaspereau, Biblioasis and others. Stay tuned for further information.

CNQ has a New Blog

Though I have intended to start a new CNQ blog for a couple of years now, for one reason or another -- mainly: not enough hours in the day -- I've yet to do it. But one of my New Year's resolutions for the business has been to work on the online aspects of both press and journal, so this week I've started to update the journal blog. I'll try and update it with links, occasional interviews, articles and other material at least several times a week, focusing on writing by CNQ editors and contributors, and it is my hope that some of our contributing editors may occasionally step in as well to keep things fresh. It may be worth checking in on from time to time.

Today's link is to another article by antiquarian bookseller David Mason. His Selling Civilization (CNQ 76) was probably the most loved and commented article of 2009. There's a new article by him forthcoming in issue 78 on the art of book scouting, which ranks, in my mind, as one of the most charming and informative essays on bookselling I've read in many a year. I've linked to an essay on Mason's website, originally published in Descant, on the relationship between librarians and booksellers: another charming and informative Mason piece. To read A Tale of Illusion, Delusion and Mystery please go here.

Eventually much of this material will hopefully make it into a memoir, and I for one look forward most anxiously to its publication.