Small Press Saturday: Thistledown Press

Covers for Oil Change at Rath’s Garage by Shari Narine and Autant by Paulette Dubé, published by Thistledown Press. Book models courtesy Owl’s Nest Books.

Happy Saturday once again!

This Saturday I am thrilled to share Thistledown Press with you. This small press has been around since 1975, originally focusing on poetry. You can learn more about their history on their website here. Based in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, this Western Canadian press has had success over the years under different owners and leadership, and has broadened their publishing scope to include novels, short story collections, creative non-fiction, poetry, and a rare YA novel.

The Thistledown of today is owned by JoAnn McCaig who took ownership in October of 2020. In a message to authors and readers on their website, JoAnn shares that it is her intent to respect the legacy of Thistledown Press and to continue to publish high quality literary fiction with a focus on Western Canadian authors.

Covers for Raft Baby by Bonnie Dunlop and Lost Boys: Stories by Darci Bysouth, published by Thistledown Press. Book models courtesy Owl’s Nest Books.

Over the years, Thistledown has generated numerous award winners and nominees for multiple awards including the Governor General’s, the Commonwealth Book Prize, the Dublin IMPAC, and the Canadian ReLit.

With the new managing editor, Caroliine Walker, and new acquisitions editor, Elizabeth Philips, I expect Thistledown to continue to produce excellent publications and possibly even challenge the status quo of Thistledown to experiment a little with fresh concepts within the literary realm. Change can be a beautiful thing and I look forward to seeing Thistledown continue to grow and evolve while enduring the challenges of the pandemic and hopefully thrive in the beyond.

So, if you have never heard of Thistledown Press before, please consider spending some time on their website, peruse their titles, and maybe decide to place an order from your local independent on a new book from a quality Canadian small press.

Happy reading!

– Stacey

Find the pictured books at your local Canadian indie bookseller!