The Porcupine's Quill
Encyclopedia
The Porcupine's Quill is an independent Canadian
publishing company located in Erin
, Ontario
. The Porcupine's Quill publishes contemporary Canadian literature, including poetry, fiction, art and literary criticism. It is owned and operated by Tim and Elke Inkster.
, Ontario
. It is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Tim and Elke Inkster. The press is known for publishing fiction by new writers who go on to become established figures in the Canadian literary landscape, such as Jane Urquhart
, Steven Heighton
, Andrew Pyper
, Mary Swan
, Russell Smith, Gil Adamson
, Elizabeth Hay
, Michael Winter and Annabel Lyon
. Alternatively, the press usually publishes poetry by already well-known poets, such as Margaret Avison
and P. K. Page
.
Its first title, Marzipan Lies by Brian Johnson, was published 1975. Early in The Porcupine's Quill's history, Tim Inkster contacted friends he met during his time at the University of Toronto
to publish their work, such as collections of poetry by Ed Carson and Brian Henderson
.
The Porcupine's Quill has published a number of award-winning work and was named as "Canada's pre-eminent literary press" in The Perilous Trade: Publishing Canada's Writers. Don Coles
' collection of poetry, Forests of the Medieval World, won the Governor General's Award
for Poetry in 1993. Later, in 2000, Don Coles' Kurgan won the Trillium Book Award
. Most recently, a collection of short stories by Ian Colford entitled Evidence won the Margaret & John Savage First Book Award, was shortlisted for the Thomas H. Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize and was furthermore shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award. Evidence was also presented a silver medal by The Independent Publisher (IPPY). Sailor Girl by Sheree-Lee Olson, also published by The Porcupine's Quill, won the bronze medal. Off the Wall by Tony Urquhart, The Essential P K Page, and A Wood Engraver's Alphabet by G. Brender à Brandis were cited in the Alcuin Society of Vancouver's 27th annual Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada competition.
The owners, Tim and Elke Inkster, have also received praise for their contributions to the Canadian publishing industry. In 2008, both Inksters were appointed members of the Order of Canada
by the Governor General of Canada.
Most printing is performed on a twenty-five inch Heidelburg KORD. The Porcupine's Quill usually uses acid-free Zephyr Antique laid paper, the sheets of which are then folded and sewn into signatures on a 1907 model Smyth National Book Sewing machine. This process results in more durable, sturdier books than are usually produced by trade book publishers. Tim Inkster has created videos on YouTube that demonstrate this printing and binding process.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
publishing company located in Erin
Erin, Ontario
Erin is a town in Wellington County, approximately 80 kilometres northwest of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Erin is an amalgamated town, composed of the former Villages of Erin and Hillsburgh, and the hamlets of Ballinafad, Brisbane, Cedar Valley, Crewson's Corners, and Orton, as well as the former...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. The Porcupine's Quill publishes contemporary Canadian literature, including poetry, fiction, art and literary criticism. It is owned and operated by Tim and Elke Inkster.
History
In 1974, The Porcupine’s Quill (PQL) was originally incorporated as the production arm of Press Porcépic in TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. It is owned and operated by husband-and-wife team Tim and Elke Inkster. The press is known for publishing fiction by new writers who go on to become established figures in the Canadian literary landscape, such as Jane Urquhart
Jane Urquhart
Jane Urquhart, OC is a Canadian novelist and poet.-Biography:Born 200 miles north of Thunder Bay, Ontario in Little Longlac , Ontario, Jane Urquhart is the third of three children and the only daughter of Marian and Walter Carter, a prospector and mining engineer...
, Steven Heighton
Steven Heighton
Steven Heighton is a Canadian novelist, short story writer and poet. He is the author of ten books, including two short story collections, three novels, and five poetry collections...
, Andrew Pyper
Andrew Pyper
Andrew Pyper is a Canadian writer of fiction. Born in 1968, he received a BA and an MA in English Literature from McGill University, as well as a law degree from the University of Toronto. Although called to the bar in 1996, he has never practiced. He lives in Toronto.-Published works: A collection...
, Mary Swan
Mary Swan
Mary Swan is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. She is also a trained librarian with a keen eye for history. Her novel The Boys in the Trees, a shortlisted nominee for the 2008 Scotiabank Giller Prize. was inspired by a newspaper clipping concerning a death within a family.Swan was the...
, Russell Smith, Gil Adamson
Gil Adamson
Gil Adamson is a Canadian writer. She won the Books in Canada First Novel Award in 2008 for her 2007 novel The Outlander.Adamson's first published work was Primitive, a volume of poetry, in 1991...
, Elizabeth Hay
Elizabeth Hay (novelist)
Elizabeth Grace Hay is a Canadian novelist and short story writer.Her novel A Student of Weather was a finalist for the Giller Prize and won the CAA MOSAID Technologies Award for Fiction and the TORGI Award...
, Michael Winter and Annabel Lyon
Annabel Lyon
Annabel Lyon is a Canadian novelist and short story writer. She's published two collections of short fiction, two young adult novels, and an adult historical novel, The Golden Mean.-Life and work:...
. Alternatively, the press usually publishes poetry by already well-known poets, such as Margaret Avison
Margaret Avison
Margaret Avison, OC was a Canadian poet who twice won Canada's Governor General's Award and has also won its Griffin Poetry Prize. "Her work has often been praised for the beauty of its language and images."-Life:...
and P. K. Page
P. K. Page
Patricia Kathleen Page, CC, OBC, FRSC , commonly known as P. K. Page, was a Canadian poet. She was the author of over 30 published books: of poetry, fiction, travel diaries, essays, children's books, and an autobiography.By special resolution of the United Nations, in 2001 Page's poem "Planet...
.
Its first title, Marzipan Lies by Brian Johnson, was published 1975. Early in The Porcupine's Quill's history, Tim Inkster contacted friends he met during his time at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
to publish their work, such as collections of poetry by Ed Carson and Brian Henderson
Brian Henderson
Brian Weir Henderson AM is a New Zealand-born Australian television personality and news-reader.-Career:Henderson hosted the Australian version of Bandstand from 1958 until 1972...
.
The Porcupine's Quill has published a number of award-winning work and was named as "Canada's pre-eminent literary press" in The Perilous Trade: Publishing Canada's Writers. Don Coles
Don Coles
Donald L. Coles, also known as Don Coles, is a Canadian poet and a novelist. Coles won the 1993 Governor General's Award for English poetry for his collection Forests of the Medieval World and the Trillium Book Award in 2000 for his collection Kurgan.Don Coles was born on April 12, 1927, in...
' collection of poetry, Forests of the Medieval World, won the Governor General's Award
Governor General's Award
The Governor General's Awards are a collection of awards presented by the Governor General of Canada, marking distinction in a number of academic, artistic and social fields. The first was conceived in 1937 by Lord Tweedsmuir, a prolific author of fiction and non-fiction who created the Governor...
for Poetry in 1993. Later, in 2000, Don Coles' Kurgan won the Trillium Book Award
Trillium Book Award
The Trillium Award is given annually by the government of the Province of Ontario and is open to books in any genre: fiction, non-fiction, drama, children's books, and poetry. Anthologies, new editions, re-issues and translations are not eligible. Three jury members per language judge the...
. Most recently, a collection of short stories by Ian Colford entitled Evidence won the Margaret & John Savage First Book Award, was shortlisted for the Thomas H. Raddall Atlantic Fiction Prize and was furthermore shortlisted for the Danuta Gleed Literary Award. Evidence was also presented a silver medal by The Independent Publisher (IPPY). Sailor Girl by Sheree-Lee Olson, also published by The Porcupine's Quill, won the bronze medal. Off the Wall by Tony Urquhart, The Essential P K Page, and A Wood Engraver's Alphabet by G. Brender à Brandis were cited in the Alcuin Society of Vancouver's 27th annual Awards for Excellence in Book Design in Canada competition.
The owners, Tim and Elke Inkster, have also received praise for their contributions to the Canadian publishing industry. In 2008, both Inksters were appointed members of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
by the Governor General of Canada.
Operations
The Porcupine's Quill is unlike most other Canadian publishers in that it does most of its printing in-house. The Porcupine's Quill also prints The Devil's Artisan, a bi-annual magazine about printing and book arts in Canada.Most printing is performed on a twenty-five inch Heidelburg KORD. The Porcupine's Quill usually uses acid-free Zephyr Antique laid paper, the sheets of which are then folded and sewn into signatures on a 1907 model Smyth National Book Sewing machine. This process results in more durable, sturdier books than are usually produced by trade book publishers. Tim Inkster has created videos on YouTube that demonstrate this printing and binding process.