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Back in the Habit: September Book Events in Pictures

After an interminably long hiatus, in-person book events are starting to come back this fall. If you weren’t able to make it out to Toronto for these recent bookish gatherings, or just want to experience the events from the comfort of your own home, check out the photographs below, provided by DA editor Don McLeod.

Coach House Press Wayzgoose

Sasha Tate-Howarth and Stuart Ross sell books at the Coach House Press Wayzgoose, September 8, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
Sasha Tate-Howarth and Stuart Ross sell books at the Coach House Press Wayzgoose, September 8, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
Harold Averill and Don McLeod at the Coach House Press Wayzgoose, September 8, 2022. Credit: Andre Tremblay.
Harold Averill and Don McLeod. Credit: Andre Tremblay.
John Shoesmith, Grant Hurley and Chester Gryski at the Coach House Press Wayzgoose, September 8, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
John Shoesmith, Grant Hurley and Chester Gryski. Credit: Don McLeod.

Thomas Fisher Small & Fine Press Fair

Marshall Hryciuk of Imago Press at the Fisher Small and Fine Press Fair, September 10, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
Marshall Hryciuk of Imago Press at the Fisher Small and Fine Press Fair, September 10, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
George A. Walker and Michelle Walker at the Fisher Small and Fine Press Fair, September 10, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
George A. Walker and Michelle Walker. Credit: Don McLeod.
Kirby of Knife Fork Book. Credit: Don McLeod.
Kit MacNeil of the Massey College Bibliography Room at the Fisher Small and Fine Press Fair, September 10, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
Kit MacNeil of the Massey College Bibliography Room. Credit: Don McLeod.
rob maclennan of above/ground press at the Fisher Small and Fine Press Fair, September 10, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
rob maclennan of above/ground press. Don McLeod.
Stephanie Small, Don McLeod and Elke Inkster of The Porcupine's Quill/DA at the Fisher Small and Fine Press Fair, September 10, 2022. Credit: Tim Inkster.
Stephanie Small, Don McLeod and Elke Inkster of the Porcupine’s Quill/DA. Credit: Tim Inkster.
Tim Inkster, George A. Walker and Stan Bevington at the Fisher Small and Fine Press Fair, September 10, 2022. Credit: Don McLeod.
Tim Inkster, George A. Walker and Stan Bevington. Credit: Don McLeod.

We hope you enjoyed dipping your toes back into the waters of literary socializing with us! Looking forward to seeing you at future events.

Cheers,


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A Peek Inside the Covers of DA 90

It’s spring, so you know what that means–a new issue of DA hits the post office to arrive at homes, libraries and businesses all over Canada as well as to subscribers further afield. Many of you have already discovered the delights to be found in the most recent issue, #90, but if you haven’t yet purchased a copy, here are a few highlights in store for you.

DA 90, including keepsake and bookmark
As always, each issue comes with a printed keepsake. This one was printed letterpress by Duncan Major at Running the Goat. We’ve also included a neat little bookmark featuring dingbats from our Dingbats Resource.
The feature article is by Tim Inkster, publisher of DA and of the Porcupine’s Quill. It details some of the more interesting (and humorous) anecdotes surrounding the publication of several books by Canadian poetry icon P. K. Page. A must-read piece!
Another great article in this issue is Duncan Major’s reflection on the accomplishments of Tara Bryan and walking bird press of Flatrock, Newfoundland. The piece is chock-a-block with images of the beautiful work produced by walking bird press.
Of course, we always include a rogue to keep things lively. This issue shines the spotlight on one of the founders of the Devil’s Artisan, Paul Forage.
Be sure to add DA 90 to your collection!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this peek at the pages of our latest issue. If you’re fascinated by these snippets and tempted to make a copy your own, you can purchase in print from Abe Books, or buy a digital copy from our eStore.

Happy reading!


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Sneak Peek! A Look at What’s Next in DA 90

Can’t wait to find out what we’re working on for DA 90? You’re in luck! Here’s a taste of what you’ll find in the pages of the spring/summer issue.

DA 90 cover

As many fans may already know, the Porcupine’s Quill has published several books of poetry and prose by the beloved literary figure P. K. Page. From the first volume of collected poetry, The Hidden Room, in 1997 to the Griffin-shortlisted Coal and Roses in 2009, to the volume of her selected children’s fiction, Metamorphosis, in 2020, the Porcupine’s Quill has attempted to preserve Page’s legacy for new readers across Canada.

DA 90 will feature Tim Inkster’s recollections on his professional relationship with P. K. Page, which began in the spring of 1985 when Constance Rooke commissioned a broadside of P. K.’s ‘Deaf Mute in a Pear Tree’ poem as a promotion for The Malahat Review. An anecdotal history of their many collaborations over the next two decades serves to highlight the gulf of misunderstanding that continues to bedevil the aspirations of scholarship as well as the increasingly threatened copyrights of commercial book publishers.

What else can be found in this issue?

Duncan Major contributes a letterpress keepsake and reflects on his role as the printer’s devil at Tara Bryan’s walking bird press of Flatrock, Newfoundland. Richard Kegler presents Fairbank Italic that was issued by Monotype in 1929 as Bembo Condensed Italic, though it was never intended to be anything of the sort. Sarah Lough remembers her brother Paul Forage, who was one of the three founding editors of the Devil’s Artisan. And editor Don McLeod shares snapshots of printmaker Mark Huebner beginning work on a new graphic novel in the boardroom of the Arts & Letters Club on Elm Street in Toronto.

And there you have it. Subscribers can look forward to seeing copies in their mailbox sometime in May. If you’re not yet a subscriber, consider signing up–individual subscriptions start at $27!

We hope you enjoyed this sneak peek of our upcoming issue. And just in case you need something to keep you busy until DA 90 comes out, don’t forget to browse our available previous issues for more retro print culture.

Cheers,


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From DA 88: The David B. Milne Playing Card Project