Thirty of Canada’s best independent publishers and magazines gather for the Meet the Presses Indie Literary Market on Saturday, November 22nd, from 11:30am to 5 pm, at the Tranzac Club. The event is curated by Meet the Presses, a volunteer literary collective devoted to organizing public events showcasing publications produced by independent publishers of fiction, poetry, and creative non-fiction with an independent book cover design.

One of the biggest highlights of the Literary Market culminates in the announcement of the winner of the bpNichol Chapbook Award, whose purse this year doubled to $4,000, thanks to an anonymous benefactor. The prize, awarded annually since 1996, is named for the late poet, novelist, and indie publisher bpNichol. The prize goes to the author of the best poetry chapbook published in Canada in the previous year. Judges Sandra Ridley and Kevin McPherson Eckhoff – both writers themselves – were in charge of making the tough choices this year. The publisher of the winning title receives $500, thanks to an annual donation by Toronto writers Brian Dedora and Jim Smith.

The finalists for the 2014 bpNichol Chapbook Award are:

Government: Jason Christie (above/ground press)

Life Savings: Mat Laporte (Odourless Press)

pleasantries and other misdemeanours: Christine McNair (Apt. 9 Press)

a fist made and then unmade: matt robinson (Gaspereau Press)

Oilywood: Christine Leclerc (Nomados)

X: Phil Hall (Thee Hellbox)

The purpose of the Indie Literary Market is to introduce the public to independent literary publishers and authors of books, chapbooks, magazines, broadsheets, and recordings that are largely not available in bookstores. This is also an opportunity to find some authors whose works may become a new favourite. Poetry and literature lovers, be sure to come out!