ATWOOD, COHEN, Ondaatje, Mistry, Urquhart. While many of Ellen Seligman’s authors don’t require first-name introductions, it is the curse of the book editor to toil away behind the scenes. That’s why it was so incredible that within hours of the news that the McClelland & Stewart publisher and editor had died on March 25, Seligman’s name started trending on Twitter. The outpouring of grief continued throughout the weekend, in remembrance of this influential, driving force of CanLit, who also served as president of PEN Canada and was a mentor to many (she also impressed on the dance floor). This issue, Steven W. Beattie speaks to some friends, colleagues, and authors about Seligman and her legacy.
WHILE SETTING the lineup for our annual graphica issue, we knew immediately we wanted Michel Rabagliati for the cover feature. The internationally respected Montreal artist is best known for the comic albums featuring his loosely autobiographical character, Paul, which are big sellers in Quebec but have never received the English-language readership they deserve. Little did we know at the time that Rabagliati’s latest book, Paul Up North, currently is the last planned for the series. Rabagliati’s life has changed significantly since his first French-language title, 1999’s Paul à la campagne, and as he told Q&Q senior editor Conan Tobias, “I’m not that eager to keep talking about myself for the rest of my days.”