The Fiddlehead :: NewPages Guide to Literary Magazines

The Fiddlehead

Publisher’s description: The Fiddlehead, published 4 times a year, is Atlantic Canada's international literary journal. Since 1945 it has surprised and delighted readers in Canada and across the world with its stories, poems, book reviews, and occasional essays. Many now well-known writers, such as Anne Compton, Alistair MacLeod, and Tom Wayman, found an early and enthusiastic welcome in The Fiddlehead. In alternating years the summer issue is devoted entirely to either poetry or fiction; these special, extended issues measure the pulse of literary writing. As well The Fiddlehead holds an annual writing contest in two categories, short fiction and poetry. The contest closes December 1st and the winning entries are published in the spring issue. "The Fiddlehead, a mix of common sense and magic . . . the magazine that has itself sustained so many writers by lending both mouth and ear," says Don McKay, the 2007 Griffin Poetry Prize Canadian winner.

Recent issues:

The Fiddlehead’s 65th anniversary celebrations continue with its summer 2010 issue (no. 244). The biggest summer issue ever, this all-poetry issue presents two retrospectives on the poetry of Marvin Bell and Jorie Graham. Both retrospectives include new poems along with a selection of older works. Also featured is an exciting array of new works from twenty poets including Brian Bartlett, Anne Compton, Robert Gibbs, Cynthia Hogue, Don McKay, A.F. Moritz, and Sue Sinclair. There are also reviews of recent poetry books and the cover art is from Paul Mathieson’s Red, White and Mustard.

In this spring 2010 issue (no. 243) you’ll find the complete stories and poems of the winners and honourable mentions of our 19th annual Contest. There are also stories from R. W. Gray and Jill Sexsmith and the poetry includes new works by John Barton, Melanie Bell, Jennifer Bronson, Shane Neilson, and Tim Prior. You will also find book reviews, and the cover art is from Werner Arnold’s “Time Lapse.”

242 (Winter 2010) - The Fiddlehead turns sixty-five in 2010. The celebration begins with the winter issue (242), which features poetry from Marvin Bell, Emily Carr, Jeffery Donaldson, Miranda Hill, and Peggy Shumaker among others. You can also enjoy new fiction from Julie Curwin, Sheila McClarty, Lori McNulty, Carey Rudisill, and Deborah-Anne Tunney. And as usual there are reviews of recent Canadian literary works such as George Elliott Clarke’s I & I. The cover showcases Raymond Martin’s painting, “Tournesols cerf-volants.”