Erratum, Nova Scotia Publishers, and Grace Lee Whitney's The Longest Trek
In Perpetual Contemplation of Eternal Subtitles
This is the ninth edition of Assorted Nonsense, the official newsletter of Donovan Street Press Inc., where we’re already starting to lose count
Theft
I stole the background colour for this Substack post (and probably many more to come) from Terry Fallis’s substack. Steal from the best, I always say. (This apparently does not apply to the mobile version of this newsletter, which remains white for some reason.)
Adventures in the Radio Trade Erratum
Donovan Street Press’s book designer Bibliofic and I have corrected what I believe to be the final typos and errors in all versions of Adventures in the Radio Trade.
They consist of:
Correcting the spelling of McDonalds on P14, where it was spelled as “MacDonald's” three times.
Removing a superfluous comma from the following sentence on P68: “Afterward, Lynda’s father, Dave Beach, asked, me,” (sic)
Changing the title of Phil Colllin's album "Face Time" to the correct "Face Value" on P79. (D’oh!)
In the index, changing the spelling of Brian Hill to Bryan Hill (sorry Bryan!)
The page numbers refer to the softcover edition in the examples above, but all three editions (softcover, hardcover, and ebook) have been corrected. Many thanks to Bibliofic for being so accommodating.
I’m not aware of any other errors in the text. I simply can’t stand mistakes in my books, which is why I strive to excise every single one of them. This has been the second (and hopefully last) batch of corrections.
This is also one of the reasons I like to have the rights to my books myself, so that I can make such corrections. If my books were published by any other publisher, very likely I would not have the ability to correct any mistakes.
If you have an earlier, uncorrected version of Adventures in the Radio Trade, please accept my apologies. I would offer a replacement but, well, it would bankrupt Donovan Street Press at this early, critical stage of development. We tried to catch all errors before publishing but it’s damned difficult.
Recently I caught a typo in an edition of The Hunt for Red October, probably the 111th printing. I couldn’t believe it. But it sure made me feel better.
SFWA
I just renewed my membership to the Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (SFWA). For as long as I can remember I’ve wanted to be member of SFWA, which, as the name suggests, is an organization of professional science fiction and fantasy writers. Being a member of SFWA meant, to my younger mind, that I would have finally made it as a writer.
SFWA was founded by Damon Knight in 1965, the year I was born, and has included members such as Isaac Asimov (a Grand Master) and Robert Heinlein (also a Grand Master) and Ursula K Leguin (who resigned as a member after Stanisław Lem’s membership was rescinded in 1976 because he lived in a communist country and apparently didn’t think much of American science fiction. SFWA has not been without its share of controversy over the years).
Anyway, last year, 2023, I finally became a member on the strength of my first science fiction novel, A Time and a Place, published by a small indie press called Five Rivers in 2017. It’s my own damned fault it took so long. Although I’d written a handful of short stories, made some SF radio documentaries and shows, I hadn’t done enough to qualify. Even now, with novel, a memoir, a short story collection, and all my SF related radio work, I hardly feel as though I belong. But I presented SFWA with the evidence, and they accepted me (or at least my cold, hard membership dues), so belong I must.
So have I made it as a writer? That depends on what you mean by “made it.” Made what? Money? I could not live on my income as a writer. Far from it! But I’m a member of SFWA. (I’m also a member of SF Canada; similar to SFWA but for Canada.) I’ve written books. I’m selling those books. I’m writing more books. I’ve even started a publishing company, and will be publishing books by other authors. So I’ve made “something,” and that’s just fine for now.
Post script: There are other writers organizations out there, such as The Writer’s Union of Canada (WFC). And publisher’s associations. I would join them all, if I could. But then I’d be making even less money as a writer.)
Publishing in Nova Scotia: A Survey
This is the third installment of my survey of publishers in Atlantic Canada. We’ve already covered publishers in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. You can find those surveys in previous editions of Assorted Nonsense.
Today we’ll start surveying Nova Scotia (NS) publishers.
I found 12 publishers in Nova Scotia (not counting imprints belonging to those 12 publishers). We will look at six of those publishers today.
Breton Books
Based in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, Breton Books publishes books about Schnectady, New York.
Just kidding! Obviously they publish books about Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Their slogan is “Cape Breton - An Island Worth Reading!”
It’s also an island worth driving or biking, if you’ve never been. So beautiful! I’ve been several times, and must go again.
I clicked on Breton Book’s “About” page, labelled “How We Got Started,” with great anticipation. Alas, it was blank. However, the internet is a wonderful thing (well, in some respects), and much can be gleaned there.
They’ve published lots of books. Picking one at random, I chose The Cape Breton Piano: Life at the Fiddler’s Elbow, by Chris McDonald.
“Talks with Cape Breton keyboard heroes share the foundations of piano in Cape Breton's music, and the steps toward the marriage of the piano and fiddle that produces today's distinctive sound.”
Immediately I noticed that this book is also available via Nimbus Books, suggesting that Nimbus distributes at least some of Breton Book’s catalogue, though Nimbus doesn’t include Breton Books on their list of the publishers they distribute. (This doesn’t necessarily mean anything: that list appears to be out of date. It still includes Fierce Ink Press, which I do not believe is in operation any more.)
This book is also available via Chapters, and at other boutique locations, such as the Highland Village Gift Shop. So they’re getting their books out there.
The publisher of Breton Books is Ronald Caplan, who moved to Cape Breton in 1971 and obviously fell in love with the place. He founded Cape Breton’s Magazine “to record the culture and living history of the island and its people,” and was rewarded with an appointment to the Order of Canada for his work.
Breton Books is funded by the Canada Council for the Arts and possibly the government of Nova Scotia. Exactly how they distribute their books is not clear, but they are being made available.
There could be science fiction and/or fantasy buried within their list somewhere, but a cursory examination did not reveal any.
Cape Breton University Press
Based in Cape Breton NS, and founded in 1974, they’ve “published books in a wide range of genres, including award-winning children’s books (including young adult) and adult fiction.”
The first thing I notice about these folks is that their website is absolutely terrible. And then, wading through it, I see why, and that they thoroughly buried the lede:
In 2014, in the face of a host of larger issues facing the University, the decision was made to terminate CBU Press as we know it today. There will be future publications on an ad hoc basis, under co-publication arrangements. Projects already in the works have been fulfilled, and responsibility for all books in print are being taken over by the Press’s long-time distribution partner, Nimbus Publishing of Halifax, ensuring that books remain available and authors receive royalties.
After forty-plus years covering Cape Breton, it’s time for others to work with creators to bring the Island’s considerable literary talents to the world.
Alas.
Conundrum Press
Based in Wolfville NS, Conundrum Press publishes comics and genre defying books. Founded in 1996 by Andy Brown, they “began exclusively publishing literary graphic novels in 2010.”
They receive financial support from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Province of Nova Scotia, and the Government of Canada.
They have a young adult imprint called EMANATA, which appears to accept submissions, except you would need a time machine, as the deadline they’ve posted is June 1 2023. (Other parts of their quite attractive website are up to date.)
Conundrum Press is distributed in the US by Consortium Book Sales & Distribution, in Canada by Publishers Group Canada (PGC), and in Ontario, Quebec and the eastern provinces by Michael Martin & Associates, and, well, list goes on and on. Suffice to say they have distribution covered. I don’t quite understand how or why they would have so many distributors.
I picked a title at random: To Know You’re Alive, by Dakota McFadzean:
Award-winning Canadian cartoonist Dakota McFadzean returns with a brilliantly dark collection that offers a glimpse into the cracks between childhood imagination and the disappointing harshness of adulthood.
McFadzean ia a cartoonist from Toronto, so Conundrum Press is clearly not limiting themselves to talent from the maritimes. The collection is reviewed by a ton of people on Goodreads, so it’s obviously sold reasonably well (though the high number of ratings has resulted in a lower rating). It has far fewer ratings on amazon.ca, but a much higher rating. It’s also attracted the attention of CBC Books.
Conundrum Books lists horror among their genres, but not science fiction and fantasy.
Fernwood Publishing
With an extensive back catalog of 900 titles, Fernwood Publishing focusses on "critical books for critical thinkers." They are based in both Halifax, Nova Scotia and Winnipeg Manitoba, and have been in business for over 30 years.
Fernwood claims to be politically driven, as opposed to profit driven, which gives them the freedom to publish radical material.
They have received support from the Canada Council for the Arts, Canadian Heritage, and the governments of Nova Scotia and Manitoba, and are open to submissions, no time machine required with them.
They use the University of Toronto Press as their distributor in Canada, and other distributors for elsewhere in the world.
Fernwood does not appear to publish science fiction and/or fantasy.
Formac
Based in Halifax NS, Formac publishes "...quality books about Canada's Maritime provinces or by Maritime authors."
They seem like a fairly big publisher, with a fair-sized team, and publish a wide variety of books, but their web page has issues. For example, there is no icon visible when their webpage is open as a tab. It’s just an empty tab. A small thing, but an operation like Formac can do better than that, surely. I’m just one guy and I can manage it (he gloated, a gloat sure to bite him in the ass one day).
Also, do they accept submissions? I don’t know, because navigating to their submissions page produces the following message: “Error establishing a database connection.” Geez guys.
I assume they have professional distribution (they must) but it’s not clear who or how. Nor is it clear whether they receive any government funding.
Formac does not appear to publish science fiction or fantasy.
Gaspereau Press
Founded in 1997 (originally in Wolfville NS) by Gary Dunfield & Andrew Steeves, Gaspereau Press is an award-winning publisher based in Kentville, Nova Scotia. They advertise themselves as “Printers & Publishers,” and have quite an extensive backlist. The aforementioned awards include the Governor General’s Literary Award for poetry and the Best Small Bookseller in Canada by the Canadian Booksellers Association (three times for that one). Gaspereau Press produces handmade books, primarily literary titles aimed at a Canadian readership.
Gaspereau Press claims to be “one of Canada’s most innovative and tenacious literary publishers,” and I’m inclined to believe them. Their books are “Smyth-sewn trade paperbacks, cloth-bound hardcovers and letterpress-printed limited edition.” They produce 8 to 10 books annually.
I like this line on their website:
A publisher must live by its wits as well as its whims.
They are quite an intriguing publisher, really. Just look at this description of their books:
Many of Gaspereau’s book jackets are letterpress-printed, feature original artwork by artists like Wesley Bates, and are printed on fine paper—in some cases even handmade. Most of its books are Smyth-sewn, bound into paper covers and enfolded in letterpress-printed jackets. Its house paper is the Canadian-made Rolland’s Zephyr Antique Laid, a creamy, sensual book paper. Overall, the result is strong, flexible, attractive books that are comfortable, attractive and durable.
I want one of their books now. Don’t even care which one.
They receive funding from the Canada Council for the Arts, the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture & Heritage, and the Government of Canada.
It’s not clear how their books are distributed. I picked one at random, Boom Time by
Lindsay Bird:
Inspired by her time working in isolated construction camps in northern Alberta, Lindsay Bird’s Boom Time describes the unruly social space of the work camps and the ‘in-between’ state of existence that they create.
Out since 2019, it has quite a bit of exposure online. Boom Time has four 5 star ratings on Amazon and thirty-nine ratings on Goodreads. It’s been covered by the CBC and The Miramichi Reader. Not bad for a poetry collection.
Gaspereau Press does not explicity publish science fiction or fantasy, but I suspect at least some of their material occasionally strays into that territory, whether they would admit it or not.
I will continue my survey of Nova Scotia publishers in next week’s edition of Assorted Nonsense. I’ll reserve my “Takeaways” from that survey until then too.
Star Trek: The Longest Trek
By Grace Lee Whitney, with Jim Denney
It’s been a couple of newsletters since I’ve featured Star Trek related content. Though no less of a nerd, I do have a confession to make: I’ve been watching Better Call Saul instead of classic Trek. I’ll get back to Star Trek: The Original Series (TOS) eventually.
But I have managed to squeeze in some Star Trek related content. I just finished Grace Lee Whitney’s autobiography The Longest Trek: My Tour of the Galaxy, co-written by Jim Denney, by Quill Driver Books out of Fresno California.
Grace Lee Whitney is the actor who played Yeoman Rand in some of the first thirteen episodes of the first season of Star Trek: TOS.
It was much better and more compelling than I expected. Whitney led a pretty rough life, which didn’t get any better after she was kicked off Star Trek. A deeply addictive personality, that event, following hot on the heels of a sexual assault by a studio executive (almost certainly Gene Roddenberry), led to Whitney’s eventual unravelling. The Longest Trek is the story of that downward spiral and the difficult road back. It’s honest, unflinching, and well written (full marks to co-author Jim Denney for that).
It’s really a must read for die-hard Star Trek fans. I’d also recommend it to anyone interested in the subject of addiction, or just any fan of memoirs about the entertainment business.
It’s not perfect. The foreward by Leonard Nimoy is sincere but brief. Whitney comes off as smart but just a hair kooky. I suspect (but have no way of proving) that co-writer Denny dialed up her smarts and dialed down her kookiness. She reveals some strong opinions about religion that some may find offputting. Her past includes some shocking details, which she’s honest about, but she glosses over some of it.
Still, it’s undeniably an engrossing read, one of the better (if not best) of the Star Trek cast memoirs, and a different take on the Star Trek phenomenon than most of us are accustomed to. I highly recommend it.
Appearances
Last Saturday I spent my birthday at a pop up market in the Riverview Lion’s Club. I sold five books that day and met lots of nice people. Those of you with time travel machines are encouraged to visit me there to say hi. To have said hi?
This coming Saturday March 9th, I’ll be at an Easter/Spring craft fair in Truro, Nova Scotia, in the Firehall (the backside of the building) located at 165 Victoria Street. I’ll be there from 9am to 3pm. I may have one or two dogs with me.
I’ll be at the Riverview Lion’s Club for the Athena’s Touch Craft Fair Saturday, March 23rd. Trying to get my sister Susan Rodgers (infinitely more talented, beautiful and famous than me) to attend that one with me!
I’ll be at the Miramichi Market 345 McKenna Ave Miramichi between 12 noon and 4pm March 24th
Donovan Street Press Books (So Far!)
The Deer Yard and Other Stories
Podcasts (So Far)
This has been the ninth edition of Assorted Nonsense, the official newsletter of Donovan Street Press Inc.