Stonehouse Publishing

Spotlighting prairie voices

As one of Edmonton-based Stonehouse Publishing’s co-founders and publishers, Netta Johnson sees the work of local authors as being an essential part of what makes the prairie provinces so unique.

“It’s about maintaining a culture that reflects the area that we live in here in Alberta, because there are stories that need to be told about the things that are happening in our lives,” she says.

“Having a local publisher ensures that these stories get out into the market and are celebrated properly. It ensures that we can have stories told about our cities.”

In a market dominated by big-name authors and international titles, getting those stories to market is no easy feat. Johnson was familiar with the Social Enterprise Fund from previous work, and hoped that financing from SEF could help improve the publishing house’s marketing reach. In doing so, Johnson hoped to build Alberta’s literary scene and bolster the voices of local authors who might not otherwise be heard.

“Sometimes, American culture and stories seem so dominant. It’s like we’re seeing this mirror reflected in the stories we hear all the time, but the mirror isn’t us,” she says. “It’s not Alberta; it’s something completely different. So how do we maintain our own culture if we can’t get our stories out there?”

Over the years, the publishing house has built a community of authors and readers who believe in and understand its mandate of supporting local authors.

One of the ways that Stonehouse builds that community is through launch parties designed to celebrate the titles and authors it publishes each year. The parties serve as more than a social function; they’re a chance to introduce readers to different, but equally good authors from across the prairies.

“We put a real focus on trying to figure out how to release our yearly season in style, because it’s really worth celebrating,” she says.

Their methods seem to be paying off. In the first decade of Stonehouse’s existence, its publications have amassed a wide range of recognitions and awards, including nods from Crime Writers of Canada, the Book Publishers of Alberta and the City of Edmonton. Johnson hopes those are only the beginning.

“Readers themselves are realizing to what degree the market is saturated with non-local work. So we’re seeing a more of a shift to recognize the incredible titles that are published locally,” she says.