imPRESSive: Highlighting Canada’s Small Presses
Caitlin Press
Owned and operated by vici johnstone
How did the press get started? Give us a little bit of its history.
Caitlin Press is an independent publishing house located in beautiful British Columbia. It was originally established as a feminist literary press in 1977 by Carolyn Zonailo, a poet and editor and was BC’s first small press both owned and managed by women. In the 1980s, Zonailo teamed up with editors Ingrid Klassen and Cathy Ford, expanding the press’s mandate to that of a BC literary press.
In 1991, Zonailo sold the press to Cynthia Wilson and her partner the late Ken Carling. Wilson and Carling moved the business to Prince George, quickly establishing themselves as the trade publisher of the Central Interior of BC. During her fourteen years as publisher, Wilson published 67 books, including a wide variety of BC women’s literature as well as titles from local writers in BC’s central interior such as the late poet Ken Belford. The press was purchased in 2008 by Vici Johnstone following Wilson’s death.
Under Johnstone’s direction, Caitlin Press continues to publish books that reflect the diverse cultures, histories, and concerns of BC. In 2015, Johnstone received the Jim Douglas Publisher of the Year Award from the Association of Book Publishers of British Columbia. This award honours an individual for their extraordinary contribution to the BC publishing community and their commitment to excellence in publishing.
Johnstone launched Dagger Editions, Caitlin Press’s queer Canadian women’s imprint, in 2016. Dagger Editions publishes literary fiction, non-fiction and poetry by and about queer women (those who identify as queer women, including trans women or trans men, or anyone who includes this in their personal history).
What are the press's mission/goals/mandate?
Caitlin Press remains committed to its feminist origins and BC roots while continuing to expand the catalogue to reflect the diverse cultures and histories of the province. They are dedicated to publishing bold works by and about BC women for a local and national readership as well as culturally significant nonfiction (both historical and creative) from unique perspectives. Occasionally, Caitlin Press will publish a children’s or young adult’s title.
What future plans and dreams do you have for the press?
Caitlin Press remains committed to publishing women writers and their stories throughout BC and Canada while maintaining our mandate to represent rural and diverse voices throughout BC. We look forward to growing Dagger Editions and continuing to publish a cross-section of work: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, memoir, and children’s books!
Is there anything else you would like readers and writers to know about the press?
We see our mandate as growing and evolving so that we’re always contributing to the progression of current conversations we’re having as a country and society. We’re committed to opening up avenues for people to explore new and diverse ideas.
We recently announced our fall catalogue which includes a range of titles on topics such as immigrant identity, indigenous masculinity, BC history, rural women’s stories and more. Dagger Editions will also be releasing both a queer short story collection and a poetry book. Read about all of these forthcoming titles here.
This fall we’ll also be launching our new website. Be sure to follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter to keep up to date on our website launch, exciting new releases, and sales.
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