Taddle Creek (magazine)

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Taddle Creek is a literary magazine based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Published twice a year—in June and December—it showcases the work of established and emerging authors/illustrators who live (primarily, but not exclusively) in the Toronto area. A typical issue of Taddle Creek will feature a mix of fiction, poetry, interviews, comics, essays, and photographs, as well as Editor-in-Chief Conan Tobias's wry editorials on the often erratic application of grammar and style in media, commerce, and everyday life.

The magazine also has a robust on-line component that features a large archive of previously published material, subscription information, book recommendations, contributor bios, and humorously stringent submission guidelines.

A note on its Web site outlines the magazine's reason for existing: "Every six months Taddle Creek restores the sanctity of the literary magazine, fusing traditional editorial and design values with non-ephemeral, modern-day urban fiction and poetry by Toronto-based writers to create a product unassociated with any one literary movement. Works found in Taddle Creek are not easily categorized: intelligent yet stylish, sensitive yet cavalierly violent, self-absorbed yet socially aware, humorous yet disturbing. In short, Taddle Creek is the journal for those who have come to detest everything the literary magazine has become in the twenty-first century."[1]

Contents 1 History 2 The Happenings 3 Editorial rigour 4 Masthead (as of December, 2007) 5 Some notable and/or frequent contributors 6 Commendations and shortlists 7 External links

[edit] History

Founded in 1997 by publisher Conan Tobias, the magazine originally served Toronto's Annex neighbourhood and surrounding areas with an annual Christmas issue. But in a fit of millennial optimism, the magazine expanded both its focus and its output—to the whole of Toronto and to twice a year. By 2002, the magazine had found national distribution and national acclaim.

In December, 2007, the magazine celebrated its tenth anniversary with an unusually large, 72-page issue, a launch party at Toronto's Gladstone Hotel, and a renewed commitment to nurturing Toronto's literary vigour.

[edit] The Happenings

Taddle Creek is locally infamous for its semi-annual "Happenings," which, according to its Web site, "usually coincide with the launch of a new issue of the magazine, and include a mixture of readings, music, art, food, and alcohol. Happenings generally are not confined to a single location, moving throughout Toronto, from coffee shop to speakeasy to bar to tavern. Most importantly, readings are restricted to a legendary fifteen-minute maximum."[2] Readers have included Dani Couture, Hal Niedzviecki, and Mary-Lou Zeitoun. Venues have included the downtown Toronto establishments Jet Fuel, Rancho Relaxo, Supermarket, and the Cadillac Lounge. Comestibles have included hamburgers, Steam Whistle Pilsner, and popcicles.

[edit] Editorial rigour

One hallmark of Taddle Creek is the care that is taken during production. All of its contents, be they fiction or non-fiction, are subject to a rigorous cycle of editing, fact-checking, and proofing. To maintain such high editorial standards, the magazine has produced two in-house references to which it submits: The Taddle Creek Guidebook to Editorial Style and Its Usage and The Taddle Creek Guidebook to Fact-Checking Fiction.

In keeping with its high editorial standards, the magazine is also meticulously typeset, using the Garamond 3, Toronto Subway, and TC Stillson typefaces—the latter designed specifically for Taddle Creek by typographers Rod McDonald and Renée Alleyn.[3]

[edit] Masthead (as of December, 2007)

Conan Tobias Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Andrew Daley Associate Editor

Kevin Connolly Copy Editor Joyce Byrne Proofreader

Alfred Holden Alex Mlynek Contributing Editors Ian Phillips Illustrator

John Montgomery Contributing Artist Mark Lyall Photographer

[edit] Some notable and/or frequent contributors

Gil Adamson Sandra Alland Jason Anderson Suzanne Alyssa Andrew Gary Barwin Moe Berg Tamara Faith Berger Michelle Berry Ryan Bigge Alex Boyd Chris Chambers

Michael Cho Kevin Connolly Dani Couture Lynn Crosbie Andrew Daley Brian Joseph Davis John Degen Elyse Friedman Camilla Gibb Kristi-Ly Green Beatriz Hausner

Sheila Heti Alfred Holden Kerri Huffman Maureen Jennings Susan Kernohan Dave Lapp Alexandra Leggat Jennifer LoveGrove Derek McCormack Susan Mockler Jim Munroe

George Murray Hal Niedzviecki Kathleen Olmstead Ian Phillips Jay Pinkerton Emily Pohl-Weary Stan Rogal Stuart Ross Emily Schultz Kate Sutherland Susan Swan

R. M. Vaughan Paul Vermeersch Myna Wallin Darren Wershler-Henry Jessica Westhead David Whitton Alana Wilcox Mary-Lou Zeitoun

(Notably absent from Taddle Creek's pages, until his celebrated personal essay in the Christmas, 2007, issue, was Toronto-based author and critic Nathaniel G. Moore.)

[edit] Commendations and shortlists

• 2000 National Magazine Award (Honourable Mention)—Profiles—Alfred Holden, "The Streamlined Man"

• 2001 Heritage Toronto Certificate of Commendation—Alfred Holden—"For writing that illustrates Toronto’s architecture and its contribution to the quality of the city."

• Compuserve Canada Featured Canadian Site (2002)—taddlecreekmag.com

• 2002 National Magazine Award (Honourable Mention)—Poetry—John Degen, "Bicycles"

• 2003 Now magazine Best of Toronto Critics’ Pick—Best T.O. Lit Mag—Taddle Creek

• 2004 National Magazine Award (Honourable Mention)—Words and Pictures—Michael Cho, "Night Time"

• 2005 National Magazine Award (Honourable Mention)—Fiction—Elyse Friedman, "Lost Kitten"

• 2006 Journey Prize (Long List)—David Whitton, "The Eclipse"

[edit] External links

The Taddle Creek Information Superhighway Location on the Internetwork