This article is part of The Hometown Edition, a special series airing on CBC Radio’s As It Happens from Nov. 3-7, highlighting the challenges and successes of small towns across Canada. Listen here for updates on Tantramar, N.B.
A cherished literary publisher in Canada is currently based in a converted garage located in the backyard of Keagan Hawthorne in Tantramar, N.B.
“This is a temporary setup,” Hawthorne mentioned during a conversation with As It Happens host Nil Köksal from his cluttered, Tyvek-covered workspace in Sackville. “There’s a lot of organizing and reorganization ahead.”
Hawthorne is in the midst of taking ownership of Gaspereau Press, a niche publishing and printing company that has been running for nearly 20 years in another small Maritime town, Kentville, N.S.
When its founders, Andrew Steeves and Gary Dunfield, opted to retire last year, they were committed to finding a successor who would uphold the company’s long-standing mission: to remain small and local.
“There are many presses across the country that operate differently, and I have great respect for them,” stated Hawthorne.
“Pursuing blockbuster success has never been our aim, and it simply isn’t our way of doing things.”
Established in 1997, Gaspereau Press has consistently been a small operation with a significant impact.
By functioning out of Kentville and producing its books by hand, in-house, the company has maintained its local charm while building a global reputation, particularly among authors.
“Every poet in English Canada aspires to have their work published by Gaspereau Press because they know it will be treated with utmost care,” poet and University of Toronto professor George Elliott Clarke, who has released numerous titles with Gaspereau, shared with CBC News last year.
This approach has faced challenges at times.
In 2010, when Johanna Skibsrud’s novel The Sentimentalists, published by Gaspereau Press, won the prestigious Giller Prize, it generated more mainstream attention than the company was accustomed to.
The book’s increasing demand placed Gaspereau Press in a difficult position, as they struggled to meet the demand for the book. They ultimately sold the paperback rights to a larger Canadian publisher, Douglas & McIntyre.
However, once the frenzy subsided, instead of leveraging the success of The Sentimentalists to expand, Gaspereau Press chose to remain committed to its local roots.
“People need to recognize that these accomplishments are achievable; they don’t just happen in far-off, significant locations,” Steeves remarked to CBC last year while preparing for the company’s closure.
“I believe that some aspects of our success have been shaped by the fact that we’re not situated in an office tower in Vancouver, Toronto, or Montreal.”
Keagan Hawthorne operates a Vandercook letterpress at Gaspereau Press, where each book receives a personal touch. (Submitted by Keagan Hawthorne)
Hawthorne, who is also a poet published by Gaspereau Press, likens the unique book-making process to crafting furniture.
“Sitting on a well-crafted seat feels better,” he explained. “And literature is more enjoyable when it comes from a well-made book.”
Upcoming changes
Hawthorne believes that Sackville—a community in southeastern New Brunswick recently merged into the town of Tantramar—is an ideal location for a company like Gaspereau Press.
Sackville is home to Mount Allison University and has consistently been a center for academia, arts, and culture in Atlantic Canada, according to him.
“We currently reside in a region that is generally economically challenged, yet we have a significant and prominent employer in the university,” Hawthorne noted.
“Due to the relatively low cost of living, residents can afford to explore various opportunities. It’s easier for artists to take risks when they’re not burdened by the exorbitant rents of condos in Toronto or Vancouver.”
The literary publisher is currently based in Hawthorne’s converted garage but plans to relocate to a local warehouse by winter. (Submitted by Keagan Hawthorne)
However, Gaspereau Press is set to undergo some changes, as it presently consists of just Hawthorne and one part-time staff member in the garage.
His aim is to transition to a warehouse by winter.
“Certain aspects of the process will need to be outsourced,” he mentioned, alluding to printing and some bookbinding tasks.
“Yet, the finished product will still include this hand-printed cover applied by hand, along with a wrapper that is also assembled by hand.”
Regardless of any changes, he emphasized that the team at Gaspereau Press still physically “handles every book that is produced in our shop.”