It happens every year. The holiday décor still graces homes around the country, but stores have already pivoted to exhortations of newness. If you haven’t received an email or noticed a flyer or caught sight of a sign with the words “New Year, New You”, I’ll eat my driest, least appetizing book.

This passion for novelty has bled into the literary world as well. I’ve noticed a lot of book journals or printable to-read lists, designed to help you tackle ever-increasing piles of new and buzz-worthy books. The last month has been rife with online articles to help excited book lovers decide which new releases to read in 2022. Newness is everywhere!

Contrary as I am, I’m taking a different approach this year. I’m not giving up new books altogether (I know my limits), but I’ve decided to make a conscious effort to revisit, reread and rediscover the enjoyment of old books. I’ve made a three-pronged plan of attack, consisting of a series of lists: a list of books on my bookshelf that I’d like to reread, a list of books on my bookshelf that I would like to read for the first time, and a list of older backlist titles that I’d like to procure for my edification and amusement.

It is my hope to embrace a little minimalism in terms of this year’s book budget, and to give myself the gift of revelling in old favourites. I also like the idea of devoting a little attention to backlist books, which can quickly become underappreciated, if not forgotten entirely. Perhaps you’ll see this resolution of sorts affect the editorial choices on this blog. You’ll just have to stay tuned to find out!

What’s happening this month…

At PQL.

With the holidays done and dusted, it’s back to the presses! This month will see us focus on Susan Glickman’s, Artful Flight—a collection of intelligent essays that reminds us that criticism can be incisive without being cutting.

Though it seems odd to say, what with us being in the middle of winter and all, we’ll also be starting to turn our efforts to Spring 2022 titles. Leon Rooke’s Rank Songbirds is first up—a collection of vibrant and at times, it must be said, saucy, poetry that explores human relationships in all their foibles. Look for it in a few months—or pre-order now!

On Zoom.

Mark Huebner, the artist behind the beautiful wordless novel Let Go, will be the featured speaker at the Arts and Letters Club’s Club Night dinners on January 10 at 7:30 p.m. Due to the recent spike in Covid-19 cases caused by the Omicron variant, the event will now be held via Zoom. Registration is required.

In the world.

January 13th is International Skeptics Day. Or is it? I call shenanigans. I’m practically obligated.

January 20th is Penguin Awareness Day. I’m telling you this now, so there’s really no excuse for you to not be aware, is all I’m saying.

January 24 is Compliment Day. And what a clever, important day it is. (See what I did there?) Take a moment to make someone’s day with a genuine kind word!

From the porcupette’s corner.

I have to admit, I’m not unhappy to see the end of 2021. It was a challenging year physically, mentally and emotionally, with the unrelenting pandemic a background stressor that served as the cherry on top of an already difficult year. But that’s not to say we didn’t have a few things to celebrate as well. We published several great new books, including a few new personal favourites. We expanded our social network, and particularly gained lots of new followers on Instagram who are enjoying our photos from around the shop. We even enjoyed another successful PQL Holiday Giveaway, a December tradition that allows us to thank our loyal followers for their interest and attention throughout the year.

As we move into the new year, this month will be chock-a-block with editing for your porcupette, with some exciting new fiction and non-fiction coming your way this year. I can’t wait to share these books with you, and hopefully to introduce a few new favourites to your bookshelves.

Thank you for sticking with us and our stories. We appreciate your continued support in 2022!

Cheers,