Homegrown and Feisty

Sunday tends to be the day that all the ideas that have been swirling about in my head all week bump into each other and somehow make a story.  This morning was no different, but the various pieces seemed quite disparate at first. I started with a stunning hardcover book I picked up yesterday at an intelligently curated book shop in tiny Creemore, Ontario.  After an invigorating hike in the snowy Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, my small gang of publishing friends agreed to a Jeep ride up to Creemore to wander its charming shops and find a bite to eat. What we also found was lovely Curiosity House Books and Gallery where I picked up the gorgeous book above, The Group of Seven and Tom Thomson by David Silcox. I have had my hands on this gem many times but somehow the setting never seemed right. It did yesterday in one of Ontario’s loveliest independent book shops where I could have easily dropped a whole month’s wages but decided on this one book that will grace my nightstand and later bookshelf. It is a true celebration of Canadiana and I cannot wait to crack its spine! It is also a wonderful example of Canadian publishing at it’s best; something that I have gained a renewed interest in and respect for since recently joining a small but feisty Canadian publisher myself.

This past week I had the chance to attend my very first meeting of the Association of Canadian Publisher’s where I gained a new appreciation for the grit, determination and ingenuity required by Canadian publishers to compete with the large multi-nationals; the same multi-nationals for whom I have toiled for 17 years actually.  It is a constant battle of economies of scale but it is also the timeless battle to protect and celebrate our unique Canadian heritage through the support of Canadian authors and the myriad of tiny, independent publishing houses dotting our vast geography.  I could not be more pleased to join the fray at a time when the publishing industry as a whole is coming under fire for lacking innovation and the willingness to change with the times.  I have to say, since joining my new scrappy Canadian company, I have been pleasantly surprised and energized by our desire not to follow in the footsteps of the larger companies but to forge a new path where none currently exists.  You see, a week from today I will be joining others in my company as we make the trek to New York to attend a timely industry conference called Tools of Change where we will learn about the innovations possible as the print world merges with the digital world. We are going in with eyes and ears open and who knows what is possible? While I can appreciate the beauty of my stunning Group of Seven print book, and always will, there are certainly other means and media that could bring the likes of Lawren Harris’ Autumn painting to life and stir the imagination of some young Canadian student who could start the next Group of Seven using an iPad to create and share their works in virtual galleries that in turn inspire other new artists both within and beyond our borders. The potential is awesome and extraordinary!

In the meantime, I want to leave you with a cool new project underway that celebrates Canadian literature: The Canadian Bookshelf.  This new home for all things Can Lit will be officially launched as 49th Shelf later this month. It will be a place you can go to discover the brightest and best in Canadian Literature and share your reading experiences with others. You can check out the site in its beta form now or wait for the official launch of 49th Shelf on February 21st. Go Canada!

Wish me luck in New York? Next weekend I’m hoping to get some snaps of the famous Wollman Rink in Central Park as well as some black and whites of Grand Central Station and The New York Public Library. As they say, “watch this space!”