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Volume 13, Issue 13 | Wed., March 25, 2020
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Closure of Regina publisher Coteau Books “a devastating thing” for Sask. writers, says founder Larissa Kurz
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Despite the board of “There have been a director’s best efforts, lot of successes,” conRegina-based publishtinued Currie. “And er Coteau Books has there just won’t be any declared bankruptcy more.” and ceased operations To see the long-standentirely - a reality that ing publishing comfounder, author, and pany close its doors is board member Robert going to be a huge loss Currie says is “heartto the literary commubreaking” to witness. nity in Saskatchewan, “It’s really heartsaid Currie. breaking to see CoHe imagines it will be teau Books go down. harder for first-time It’s a terrific loss for authors to have their writers, not just in this work published in the province but across the future, which could, prairies,” said Currie. unfortunately, leave “I can tell you that the many Saskatchewan people on the board Coteau Books has its own display in Moose Jaw retailer Post Horizon Booksellers, voices unheard. fought really hard to which will eventually feature empty shelves as the publisher has ceased operations “It’s a sad thing for a try and find a way to lot of people and I’ve keep it going, but we been hearing from a just couldn’t find the lot of people how dismoney.” appointed they are that it’s happened,” said Currie. “I just feel Currie, a Moose-Jaw based writer, originally helped found the really sorry that it’s gone and feel sorry for the writers that we company in 1975 alongside authors Barbara Sapergia, Geoffrey won’t be publishing now.” Ursell, and Gary Hyland. Now that the company has entered into bankruptcy protection, The original idea was to make publishing opportunities available Currie also expressed concern for those authors whose projects to Saskatchewan writers in an industry that was, at the time, not were currently in production, as they are not going to be comeasily accessible to many in the prairies. pleted. Coteau Books quickly expanded to include not only poetry but all There’s also a number of past titles that will no longer be printgenres of work and has been an important fixture in the prairie ed and distributed, like Lois Simmie’s recent memoir, and while publishing scene for decades. Currie hopes to see those titles taken on by another publishing They have published hundreds of titles, many of which have col- company for the future, that remains up in the air. lected awards and nominations, in a large range of categories — Currie credited part of the publisher’s struggle to the decline of something that not many publishers can claim. independent bookstores creating a tougher market for titles from “A lot of writers got their start with Coteau and went on to big smaller publishers like Coteau Books. things,” said Currie. “It was often those small bookstores that recommended small Authors like Bonnie Burnard, who won the Commonwealth Best press books and made a point of carrying them, and so many of First Book Award and later on, the Giller Prize. Or Dianne War- them are gone now,” said Currie. ren, who published her first titles with Coteau and went on to win As one of the three larger publishing presses in Saskatchewan, the Governor General’s Award for fiction. the closure of Coteau Books is certainly going to leave a large Coteau Books has also published many books that didn’t win hole in the industry for both writers and readers alike. awards but were largely popular, such as Mary Harelkin Bishop’s “There’ll be some good books that never see the light of day, famous novel Tunnels of Time, which has sold over 40,000 copies probably, and that’s a sad fact,” said Currie. “And it’s a sad thing in its time. for readers, that they won’t get a chance to read those books.”
As of today, the Moose Jaw Express are still printing the paper and delivering the news and flyers to your door. Access to our office will be suspended to the public for the next two weeks, however, you can still contact accounting/circulation by email, mjexpress@sasktel.net or by leaving a message at 306 694 1322. News items can still be emailed to editor@mjvexpress.com, as our team will continue to bring you weekly and daily news. Our sales team will be exercising safe social distancing practices, meaning, readily available by cell-phone, email or text, for any ads, print orders or signs you may require, sales@mjvexpress.com. As many of you know, operating a small business during this unique time can be challenging and the Moose Jaw Express and MOOSEJAWTODAY.com are committed to being available to serve you. We encourage everyone to continually support local small businesses. We are all in this together. Let's help each other to see this through together. Stay Safe. Moose Jaw Express and MOOSEJAWTODAY.COM. For any other concerns, please email the publisher rob@mjvexpress.com.
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