Thistledown Press

Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Publishers

Thistledown Press

Founded:	1975
Founded by:	Glen Sorestad and Neil Wagner
Location:	410 2nd Avenue North Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7K 2C3 Canada
Titles/Circulation:
Links:	http://www.thistledownpress.com/index.cfm

History

Thistledown Press was founded in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1975 to publish and promote the writing of both new and established prairie writers. It was one of a number of Canadian publishers who developed publishing programs in the mid-1970s as a response to a proliferation of quality poetry and fiction being written by Canadian writers, especially young writers, throughout the western provinces of Canada. Thistledown's early programs consisted entirely of poetry; however, by the time it had joined the Literary Press Group in the early 1980s, its list had expanded to include fiction and poetry by writers beyond the prairies.

The founders of the press were Glen Sorestad, a poet, teacher, and editor whose first three books were published by the press, and Neil Wagner, a teacher and prairie artist who designed Thistledown's books in the first seven years before his departure. Glen and his wife Sonia continued working with Thistledown in various capacities as majority shareholders until their retirement in 2000. While the press had many people associated with it in its formative years, two new partners, Al Forrie and Paddy O'Rourke, who came into the press in 1980, had the most lasting effect on building the press into a national forum. They remained as partners after the Sorestads retired until 2004 when Al Forrie bought out all shares in the press to become its sole owner. Jackie Forrie, Al's sister who became office manager in 1994, remains with the press as well.