Small press and anarchist book fairs in the Glebe! interview with rob mclennan by Greg Macdougall,

Greg Macdougall recently interviewed me on tomorrow's ottawa small press book fair event, and an abridged version appeared as an article in the Glebe Report; here is the full interview. Thanks much!

On Saturday June 20^th, the ottawa small press book fair is at the Glebe Community Centre, from noon until 5pm. Then a week later, on June 27, the Ottawa Anarchist Bookfair is also being hosted there, from 10am until 3pm.

This may be a unique opportunity! The long-running, twice-annual small press fair is only temporarily at the GCC while Tom Brown Arena is being renovated. Last year, the anarchist fair was at Jack Purcell CC. Both fairs are free admission.

More detail about the anarchist fair follows below.

But first, here is an interview with OSPBF organizer rob mclennan:

The ottawa small press book fair - Q&A with rob mclennan

Q: So, what exactly is meant by "small press"? It is a 'Small Press Book Fair’, not a 'zine fair' (such as the HallowZine fair at the GCC the past two Octobers), so what are the general criteria or definition of a 'small press'?

A: Small press I would classify predominantly as small literary publisher, whether of a journal or chapbook-sized magazine or publisher of small single-author collections. I mean, 'zine is a small magazine, whatever that entails. Small press is a press who publishes small-run publications, whether photocopied, letterpress, hand-printed, hand-sewn, stapled, whatever.

Q: What kind of content will people be able to find from the tablers who'll be there June 20th?

A: Predominantly literary: poetry and fiction, but also some comics, non-fiction.

Q: It seems poetry might have a slightly different [distribution] model than other modes of writing. How would you say the small press book fair fits into the poetry distribution ecosystem?

Well, small press runs the range, obviously. some of these publications are hand-sewn or stapled, so will never see the inside of a bookstore, certainly aren't distributed through an actual distributor. Hand-sales are where such publications live, and even thrive. As bpNichol termed it, the gift economy. Those of us that make such purposefully-small publications share and trade and exchange and keep that conversation going, whether across years or kilometres or even across languages. Even the small presses that do have larger businesses (in comparison) hold such a small footprint compared to the big five (ie: the multinational literary publishers), with books that might win readers and awards, but aren't selling in the thousands. This event is for those books under the radar, often purposefully so. Do you think something hand-sewn or hand-printed in a run of 50 copies will ever see the inside of a chain bookstore?

Q: So this event, the ottawa small press book fair, you've been running for 32 (?) years, and with a couple exceptions, twice a year... maybe you can say a bit about the history? It is quite an accomplishment! Also, you obviously must see it as being worthwhile - what are some of the most important reasons to do it, both in terms of what it offers to the (local) literary community, and what is most rewarding personally for you?

A: Yep, the first fair was fall 1994, with the second in fall 1995. By spring 1996, it landed twice a year, with the only exceptions during the Covid-era, twice a year run by myself. James Spyker and I founded the first one (he moved away after the first event), a fair founded on the model of the Toronto Small Press Book Fair (an event founded in 1987, an extension of the original Meet the Presses fairs in Toronto, which now run annually).

This material, these books and writers and publications, are so easily and quickly overlooked, but exist as the foundation of any literature. This is where many writers begin, and were a handful even choose to live, entirely. Some writers remain with a foot here, whether as reader or writer or publisher or editor or some combination thereof (or all of the above) their whole careers, whatever engagements or books they might have through presses such as Penguin Random House or whatnot. This is literature, quite literally, at the ground level.

What I’ve personally enjoyed over the years has been seeing certain writers and/or presses emerge and then flourish across years. Some publishers use our event as a target for new publications, with the presumption that without our event, certain titles might not have been published, which is pretty cool. Look at what Cameron Anstee's Apt 9 Press has achieved over the years, or Amanda Earl, through her writing and publishing. There is such a remarkable array of talent in this town, much of which requires support to be able to flourish. I can only hope that the ottawa small press fair can simply be one of those supports.

Q:  So we also want to mention the fair usually has an event the night before, with some of the authors doing readings. And given how long you've been doing this, and how the growth of the internet etc has had major impacts on writing and publishing and everything else, what are some lessons you would point out, both professionally and personally?

A: The reading the night prior will be at Anina's Cafe in Vanier, with a handful of participating writers, some of which has yet to be confirmed [readers have now all been confirmed], of course. Vancouver poet Renee Sarojini Saklikar will be there, for one. I like the idea of an anticipatory event. The Toronto fair used to always have readings that same night, which I always found exhausting. By the time a fair is over, I’m wiped out, and just want to have conversation with other exhibitors, not have to sit quiet for anything. The event is free, 7pm [Friday June 19], all welcome.

The internet has been a boon for marketing, certainly, and provided the ability for people to find their people, wherever they might be, which can only be positive (well, for literary endeavours, anyway). There's nothing that can replace in-person interaction, I would say. Or a book or journal in-hand.

Q: As an author, as a publisher (above/ground press), and as a literary critic, what advice do you have for young / aspiring / early-career writers?

A: Not terribly complicated, really. Keep going, read everything, don't give up. Find your people.

Q: One of the things you're known for is the “12 or 20 Questions" interviews you do of other writers. Is there a question you'd like to ask yourself here?

A: Heh, maybe. Why do you take on so much? is a good one, although I haven't specifically an answer for that one. 

I learned notions of community and communal responsibility through the example of my farmer-father, and how he engaged with the people around him. What one can do, one does for others, in the ways that one can. He set a high bar.

** The ottawa small press book fair is Saturday June 20^th, 12 noon until 5pm at the Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Ave (at Lyon). Website: smallpressbookfair.blogspot.com **