Named after a lake in the North Kawarthas and curated by Jim Johnstone, Anstruther Books publishes poetry that takes risks and represents a diverse cross-section of the Canadian literary community. Anstruther Books is tapped into the speed and spirit of the 21st century and includes edgy, humorous, and transgressive work, conceptual books that maintain a lyric bent, and books that focus on contemporary technology and dominant cultural events.

Books published under the Anstruther Books imprint include The Next Wave: An Anthology of 21st Century Canadian Poetry, Ekke by Klara du Plessis,  Safe Words by Michelle Brown, Mythical Man by David Ly, and Thicket by Melanie Janisse-Barlow.

Submissions:

If you feel your manuscript fits the mandate for Anstruther Books, please submit! Poetry collections should be over 50 pages. Although you do not need to be published in book form, you must have been published substantially in literary journals. Anstruther Books highly encourages women, writers of colour, Indigenous writers, members of the LGTBQ2S community, and deaf/writers with disabilities to submit. We value your stories and are proud to publish them.

Anstruther Books will receive submissions from June 1st-July 31st each year. Please send manuscripts by email to Jim Johnstone (jim(at)palimpsestpress.ca).

Please note that it might take up to six months for a response. It takes time to read the manuscripts carefully and in full. More information may be solicited from you during this time. If you don’t hear anything from us after six months, please feel free to query us!