Call for Submissions

Super Canucks: An anthology of small-town Canadian superheroes
Coming Fall 2025
We’re looking for stories from across Canada that push the usual superhero tropes while shining a spotlight on unique corners of Canada. We want stories set in and around the nation’s more often overlooked locales—isolated small towns, remote reservations, bedroom communities, and other underrepresented areas of Canada. Give us rural superheroes, backwater supervillains, and tales of characters/communities at a crossroads.How does place impact your character? Are they unable to reconcile their superpowers with their residence or is it the people who pose the problem? Does your hero struggle to maintain a secret identity where everyone knows everyone or do they find that familiarity weirdly comforting given the challenges of being superpowered?
Submission Guidelines:
  • Word Count: 500-3500
  • Our editors are based in Northern Ontario, but our contributors can be from across Canada.
  • Canadian characters living their ‘super’ lives while still retaining their national/regional identity/connection. 
  • Stories that know the tropes and cliches—those applied to superheroes and Canada both—and either explore or subvert them.
  • Heroes that reconcile their superpowers with the limits of their home—geographic, political, economic…heck, tie in the weather—so long as they’re original characters with strong connections to specific parts/cultures of Canada.
  • Have your protagonists face situations unique to our nation/their region thereof. These can be silly or serious, inspired by reality or entirely fictional.
  • Tell us about everyday Canadians. Folks often excluded from mainstream literature—the ignored, overlooked, and undervalued. (Including cultures, genders/sexual orientations, ages, economic groups, and faiths.) 
  • Genre-busting tales are encouraged. A superhero mystery or an origin story couched as a romance. Submitted stories do not have to be about superheroes per say (tales of supervillains and anti-heroes are welcome), but should tie into that theme in some way.
  • Please avoid extreme violence, unnecessary profanity, and/or graphic sexual content.
  • Submission deadline: April 21, 2024
  • Submit to: editor@latitude46publishing.com
  Editors Andy W. Taylor grew up as a teen in the 1980s reading Alpha Flight comics and was excited to see Canadian superheroes represented for the first time. A member of the Sudbury Writers’ Guild, a graduate of the Viable Paradise writing workshop and Playwright’s Junction workshop, and a member of CODEX writer’s forum. Originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Andy currently lives in Sudbury with his family. His writing has appeared in On Spec Magazine, FictionVale, Polar Borealis, Sudbury Ink Anthology and the forthcoming anthology Sudbury Superstack: A Changing Skyline. Matthew Del Papa spent every Tuesday of his youth criss-crossing his hometown of Capreol in search of newly arrived comic books. He wore superhero-themed Underoos to a truly worrying age and still has his Batman (and Robin) lunchbox, backpack, and wristwatch. A graduate of Laurentian University, Matthew is a writer, editor, and self-publisher, and has released ten titles to some modest local acclaim. He joined the Sudbury Writers’ Guild in 2009 and his writing has appeared in Spooky Sudbury, Nothing Without Us Too, Mighty, and the forthcoming Sudbury Superstack: A Changing Skyline. His first book is a collection of humorous essays titled Jerry Lewis Told Me I Was Going to Die (Latitude 46, 2023).  Payments and Rights Compensation for stories accepted in this anthology is $200.00. We are looking for world English language rights, exclusive for the first year of print and non-exclusive afterwards. You will also receive a complimentary copy of the anthology. For more information please contact editor@latitude46publishing.com 

New Anthology: Call for Submissions

A Thousand Tiny Awakenings is a forthcoming anthology that explores the creative voice of those 18-30 years of age. A new generation with a desire to dismantle the restrictive systems that define the past, but not their future. A Thousand Tiny Awakenings will offer readers a glimpse into how a new generation perceives the world and how using their own power can shape the future. Editors Connor Lafortune, a recent graduate from Nipissing University, a citizen of Dokis First Nation and poet, and Lindsay Mayhew, a recent graduate from Laurentian University and poet, are seeking poetry, short fiction, creative nonfiction and visual arts that explore the themes of breaking oppressive boundaries and structures. Submission Guidelines:
All fiction/nonfiction submissions must be between 1000 and 6000 words Can submit up to 3 poems Preferred file type: docx Artists can submit a maximum of 10 visual art pieces (jpg file) In your submission file, please include a separate title page with your preferred name, age, contact information (email, phone number or both), a short bio describing who you are and your publishing history, and the titles of all your included works. You do not need previous publications to be considered.  We welcome simultaneous submissions; however, if your work is accepted elsewhere, please let us know by email immediately.  Send all work in a single file to editor@latitude46publishing.com, subject line: Anthology Submission [your name] Deadline: September 30, 2023 If your submission is accepted for publication, the author/artist will receive $200 honorarium and two copies of the anthology.

Sudbury Publisher Announces New Titles Through 2023

For Immediate Release                                                                                   January 18, 2022 SUDBURY PUBLISHER ANNOUNCES NEW TITLES THROUGH 2023 Eleven new authors are now signed with Sudbury-based literary press, Latitude 46 Publishing and expanding their catalogue further. Books will be forthcoming in 2022-23 from: Noelle Schmidt Emerging Queer poet Noelle Schmidt will be publishing her debut collection Claimings and Other Wild Things in April 2022. Janet Calcaterra North Bay resident Janet Calcaterra will be publishing her debut novel The Burden of Memories in May 2022. Annie Wenger-Nabigon Retired Algoma University Social Work professor, Annie Wenger-Nabigon will be publishing her memoir Enough Light for the Next Step: A memoir of love, loss and life in April 2022. Rod Carley Author of Kinmount, longlisted for the 2021 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour Award, Rod Carley will publish a new collection of short stories, Grin Reaping, in June 2022. Scott Millar Sudbury journalist takes on a half century of hockey history with a passionate biography of the Sudbury Wolves – the iconic OHL franchise in commemoration of their 50th anniversary in 2022. Ernie Louttit, Best-selling Missanabie Cree Nation author and former police officer known for his Indian Ernie non-fiction work that exposed the inside of policing brutalities in Saskatchewan will release his debut novel scheduled for release in 2023. Liisa Kovala Sudbury author of Surviving Stutthof, a memoir about her father’s experience in a German concentration camp, will publish her debut novel in 2022. Mat Del Papa Journalist and former president of the Sudbury Writers’ Guild, and the author of several books focusing on the Northern Ontario railroad town of Capreol. His forthcoming collection of essays sheds light on living with a psychical disability. Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli Award winning author of La Brigantessa, Rosanna Micelotta Battigelli, will publish her second novel based in Copper Cliff and Italy. Pat Skene Métis author Pat Skene who grew up in Britt and is the author of several children’s books (A Tale of Two Biddys, Revenge of the Mad Hacker) will publish her memoir Arriving Naked in 2023. Sharon Frayne Winner of the 2020 Muskoka Novel Writing Contest, will publish her debut YA novel, The Sound of a Rainbow, in 2023. The only northern Ontario English language publishing house is marking 7 years in operation and a catalogue that now boasts 31 titles. “We have received more submissions in the past two years than ever before and excited to welcome a number of seasoned authors to the Latitude 46 family,” says Heather Campbell, publisher, Latitude 46 Publishing. “Looking forward to sharing the diverse voices that reflect Northern Ontario.” Latitude 46 Publishing’s mandate is to publish distinctive literary works by established and emerging authors with a connection to northern Ontario, as well as narratives about the unique landscape and culture of the region. -30-  

Marketing Coordinator – Full-time Internship

Latitude 46 Publishing is seeking a highly motivated and creative intern with a passion for books to join our team on a temporary contract. The intern will develop and implement a marketing strategy to increase sales in the United States market. This full-time internship position is partially funded by FedNor’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) and the Ontario Book Publishers Organization. Eligibility Unemployed or underemployed youth (under the age of 30) who have graduated with a degree or diploma from a post-secondary institution within the last three years, are legally entitled to work in Canada, and have not been previously employed under  a FedNor Youth Internship funding agreement, or other federal or provincial internship with pay for a period of six (6) months or more. Diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. These include but are not limited to: ancestry, culture, ethnicity, gender identity, gender expression, language, physical and intellectual ability, race, religion (creed), sex, sexual orientation, and socio-economic status.   Key Responsibilities:
  • Perform online research to explore landscape of US book market including potential partnerships with publishers and distributors;
  • Perform online research to create and maintain media lists for the US market;
  • Organizing and executing media and reviewer mailings;
  • Creating and writing press materials;
  • Preparing presentations for external meetings and virtual book fairs;
  • Create sales collateral to support sell-in, as well as consumer-facing promotional materials (sales sheets, bookmarks, digital assets);
  • communicating with internal and external stakeholders, including editors, authors and agents;
  • Collect and manage metadata updates on a regular basis.
  Qualifications:
  • Must have graduated within the last three (3) years with a degree, diploma or certificate from a recognized post-secondary institution;
  • Must not have previously participated as a youth intern in any of FedNor’s Programs or in any other federal or provincial internship program with pay for a period of six (6) months or more;
  • Must be under the age of 30;
  • Must be legally entitled to work in Canada;
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Adobe Suite (InDesign) and Canva
  • Ability to work under tight deadlines and prioritize across multiple projects
  • Strong awareness of social media platforms and digital marketing trend
  • Strong time management, organizational and planning skills
  • High degree of written and verbal communication skills
  • Exceptional internal and external relationship management capabilities
  • Experience working in book trade publishing an asset
    Application Deadline: January 15, 2022 at 5:00 PM EST Cover letter and resume submission to: info@latitude46publishing.com   Marketing Coordinator_Latitude 46   We would like thank applicants for their interest; however only those considered for an interview will be contacted.

BIPOC Creators Unpublished Manuscript Contest

Latitude 46 Publishing is holding its first BIPOC manuscript contest. In collaboration with Black Lives Matter Sudbury, northern Ontario BIPOC creators with unpublished manuscripts are encouraged to submit their work in creative nonfiction, fiction, short fiction or poetry. The winner will be offered a publishing contract that includes working with an editor, designer, marketing and publicity. Polish up your best writing and get editorial feedback. Deadline to submit is September 30, 2021. Submit your manuscript and bio through the online portal at www.latitude46publishing.com. Include contact information, (full, name, mailing address, and email address) on the first page of your submission. For questions, contact info@latitude46publishing.com

Summer Writing by Brit Griffin

There are writers that can both focus and find inspiration in public places – cafes, on crowded subways. And there are those who can grab a few minutes of their day and make them productive, snatches of text and inspiration here and there. I am not one of those. There are occasionally times when I am going about my day and characters intrude, say something or do something I had not anticipated. But for the most part, I go to them. I need the time and space to travel to the place that I am writing in, to have room for my mind to drift and settle there, and then I write what I see and hear. I need a dedicated place and I need to be alone. Right now that place is on my front veranda, with the scent of birch from the woodshed and the zipping back and forth of birds, chipmunks and two red squirrels. I started writing because I loathed summer. An unsociable teen-ager, I was quite content with the isolation of my semi-rural home. Country mornings could be pleasant enough, the smell of stables and leather, shady tree-lined trails. But those long, hot afternoons, the Prairie light just not letting go, dragging so long into the evening that we had to have blinds over our windows so we could sleep. Curtains drawn during the afternoon. That Somerset Maugham stuffiness to everything. Like all sensible creatures, I got in the habit of hiding from the sun. Found the shadiest room in the house: my Dad’s den. Where the old Smith Corona typewriter lived. I soon found the afternoons drifted by faster if the keys clacked their way through landscapes of demons and detectives and monsters and horses. Romance and violence. Who knew where a girl’s mind would go? The power to create was addictive. So many years later and I still find summer the easiest time to write. I surround myself with the beautiful things the season has to offer – the scent from my prolific Apothecary’s roses, colours of goldenrod and asters, birdsong – and retreat from what each year seems like a yet evermore merciless sun. Not the sun’s doing of course, she is just minding her own scorching business, it’s the likes of me and my species that have torn down all the blinds.
This summer I am moving on from my winter books of an apocalyptic future and am wandering into the past. A new novel, a western fable that rambles through revenge and romance, monsters and violence; a novel that wonders if there is a different way of being in nature that is life-giving. It is reassuring to me that after all these years, there are still so many fine characters to meet in that landscape of my childhood imaginarium.

Acquisition Reality by Emma Jay

As a student in the Publishing program at Centennial College, I imagined how I would one day determine the manuscripts to be published. I had a very romantic idea about the whole thing. I envisioned a gigantic slush pile in the form of hundreds of emailed queries that I would have to go through, wading through story after story and only choosing the most well-written, interesting, impactful stories to put out into the world. I thought evaluating submissions came down to looking at just writing quality and the author’s ability to tell a good story. However, the reality of working in acquisitions ended up being very different. Overall, it was a lot less romantic than I expected; it required a far greater focus on business, evaluating a book as a marketable product instead of just a meaningful story. Like being an author, I think careers in publishing are easy to idealize. People who love books but don’t work with them see them as having an almost whimsical quality — the author writes this amazing story, and suddenly it’s printed and bound and put out into the world, ready to be loved by hundreds of people. The reality is that publishing is a business like everything else. Behind every book is a process that involves a whole team of people who work very hard to get it into the hands of readers. It’s a process that takes a lot of time, money, and other resources. The most important question asked at the acquisition table is: do we invest in this author and story? When I started my internship at Latitude 46, I really began to understand the reality of the acquisitions process. Looking at submissions, I had to think of so much more than whether the story had merit or if it was well written. Determining whether or not I thought a book had potential was only the first consideration; if the answer to that question was yes, I had to step out of the role of the reader into the role of a business person. I had to look at the story and ask myself if there was a market for this kind of work. Would people buy it, and if so, who is that buyer? Will the book sell enough copies to justify the cost of putting it through the rigorous and expensive publishing process? Am I confident that the writer will put in the effort to promote the book and get themselves more readers? For a publishing house to survive, they need their books to make back the cost of the whole process, from hiring editors to printing and binding to marketing and distribution. A book holds a lot of sentimental meaning to an author, but it’s also a product in the marketplace. At the end of the day, thinking a manuscript is good just isn’t enough to get it selected for publication. Still, even if a manuscript is well written and will likely sell successfully, there is one last consideration that needs to be made before it’s selected for publication. Does it meet the mandate of the publishing house? This factor carries a lot of weight. The books a publisher puts out are not only a reflection of the author’s ability, but also the values and merit of the publisher itself. At Latitude 46, that mandate comes down to two very important criteria: whether the manuscript has a strong connection to Northern Ontario and whether the story itself is one we have yet to read. The first part of that is fairly self-explanatory, while the second requires more thought. Evaluating whether or not we, as a publisher, wanted to publish a manuscript and share its story came down to considering Latitude 46’s values. Representation was always a very important quality to look for; underrepresented and marginalized voices need to be heard and included in Canadian literature, so those stories were always prioritized. Other considerations involved looking at the overall message that the manuscript was trying to communicate and what kind of impact it may have on the reader. These were the things that made evaluating submissions most intimidating. Published books have a significant role in shaping culture, so I always felt a degree of responsibility if I was going to endorse a book to be published. Was this book going to make a positive contribution to Canadian literary culture in some way? Does it provide insight into important conversations that need to be had about our society? I took these questions very seriously every time I looked at a new submission and gained a whole new understanding of the business of publishing.  

Mindfulness in a pandemic by Gary Petingola

When I received the box of “my” newly published book, I used all of my senses to simply be with it. I felt the cover, touched each page, read parts of it out loud and looked at the cover’s artwork. The dragonfly artwork originally hand painted by my daughter “Brown Eyes,” seemed to almost jump off the cover as a symbol of new beginnings. Incredible, I was now officially an author! Thinking back to that Saturday morning stroll through the outdoor market, coming across Latitude 46 Publishing’s table laid out with books is how this journey all started. I had quickly gathered enough courage to approach the table and pitch my idea to write a book compiled of weekly stories and insights on the topic of mindfulness. I shared how a book like this could be a rich addition to the literature, something not yet done as far as I knew in the realm of mindfulness literature. The publishers seemed interested, took my card and said they would be in touch. A few weeks later, I received an email inviting me to come by their office to discuss the book proposal further. I was ecstatic! I arrived at their offices armed with an eight-inch-thick binder filled with almost nine years of weekly meditation stories. Not sure how we could possibly turn this scribbling into a book, but they sent me off with suggestions to work on the first draft. I often pondered what I had gotten myself into as I watched the seasons go by. Yet, I found it comforting to review the stories and reflect on the real people who influenced my writing. In my naivety though I had the illusion I would simply package my writings and I would have a book. This was far from reality. The ordering of chapters and stories changed. Chapter titles were redrafted. I learned to remove unnecessary uses of the word “that” and I slowly introduced mindfulness practices at the end of each story. I knew it had reached its completion when I read it from cover to cover for the fifth time and it made me smile. In the end, I could hand over the final draft and feel pride at what we accomplished. The book launch took place in late February 2020, and after the celebration my wife and I hopped on a plane for Portugal with plans to return to Canada in a month and continue promoting the book in person. However, instead of the original plans, the global pandemic shut the world down and I was forced to return early and within weeks life as we knew it changed in an instant. This felt like a grey and heavy time. Like many others around the world, we were numb, frightened and anxious. During this time, we practiced yoga and meditation daily. The Body Scan mindfulness practice outlined in my book became our new late-afternoon friend. I read excerpts from my book and they made me reflect and find comfort. It was uncanny that the book I had written and hoped would benefit others, was now helpful to me. These last six months have been exceptionally challenging, trying to find balance between wishing things were different, reminiscing about Pre- COVID-19 days, worrying about the future, and simply carrying on. As I shared in The Response, I find grounding in small everyday encounters. This summer we had a chipmunk in our front yard who dug a hole under our stone walkway. Every so often he nudges his head up, checks out his surroundings and after a quick perusal returns to his place of safety. I smile as I secretly witness this behaviour. It occurs to me that it is similar to how many of us are coping during this pandemic time. Hiding away for safety with occasional forays into the community. As a first born, type A male, I find it hard to not want to fix. It is difficult to just be with. Yet, this is precisely what mindfulness has taught me. To be with the present moment, purposefully, with full presence in a particular way without judgment. It means being with both the pleasant and unpleasant circumstances of life with curiosity and spaciousness. To ride the wave, vulnerable to ebbs and flows without capsizing. It allows for one to live life with stability and calm, particularly in times of high stress. Mindfulness helps us to not dwell in the past or worry about the future. I have felt at times the pandemic has cheated me of exciting new author opportunities, yet part of me is happy to know this book is even more relevant during these historical times. Mindfulness practice is a useful tool amid a pandemic that can cause us to feel strong emotions like fear, sadness, and anger, perpetuated by ruminative thinking; to cope with self-isolation, physical distancing, and change; to reduce daily anxiety, improve sleep and to reduce inflammation. I have come to realize The Response – Practising Mindfulness in Your Daily Life has arrived just at the perfect time. Gary Petingola MSW, RSW    

Fiction Inspired by Ancestry by Eleanor Albanese

My mother had never visited the cemetery where her grandmother, Mary Mohan, was buried. My mother knew some things about Mary—she arrived in the United States from Ireland on board a coffin ship and was the only surviving member of her family. All died of typhus and all were buried at sea. My mother also knew Mary had died while giving birth and her husband had a drinking problem. But other than these few details, she knew little else. A decade ago, my sister who lives in Winnipeg, offered to drive my mother to Ardoch, North Dakota where Mary had raised her family. The two of them set off on their day-trip adventure, hoping to locate Mary Mohan’s resting place. The cemetery was set in a cozy grove, with trees and headstones and rambling pathways typical of small-town America. Mary Jane’s headstone was found with little effort. What surprised my sister and mother wasn’t the epitaph, or the fact that the tombstone indicated that she had died in childbirth—rather, it was the date that left them astonished. There they were, staring at the tombstone exactly one hundred years from the day  she had passed away. It was a significant moment, not only for my mother, but also for me when I heard tell of it. I grew up with dozens of visitors gathered around my grandmother’s kitchen table, drinking coffee from the ceramic blackened percolator, or some of us dipping into the case of beer tucked beside the fridge. There was always plenty of storytelling and “good humour” but no one ever touched on the life of Mary. It was too far in the past—it belonged to another time and place.  After hearing of the 100-day coincidence, however, I found myself intrigued. Could I bring her story to life? Could I conjure up the details, the hardship, and what it meant to be a mother long before my time? These questions compelled me to give Mary Mohan a voice, even though I had only a few crumbs to go on.  And so, I began to write her story in first person. Through my pen, both Mary and her dear friend Fiorella shared their version of events. I found myself jumping almost two decades to WW1 France, with my grandfather—Mary’s son—taking over the narration. Following that, his wife, Primrose from northern Ontario, spoke. And on it went, with one narrator after the other, eager to share their part in the storytelling. Though the first draft was completed, I knew  in order to do the story justice, I had years of research ahead of me. I had strung the warp, but now needed to weave in the yarn. I had never felt the slightest interest in military history; yet suddenly I was diving into it with an obsessive interest. I also unearthed papers from a variety of academics that had explored midwifery and herbology in a historical context, as well as folk remedies and practices from old world southern Italy where my paternal grandparents came from. The novel moves through the generations, and with the passage of time, the history became more accessible to me. I found myself interviewing all my living aunts and uncles to see what gems I could unearth. I’m not sure if it was the home-grown vegetables or the severity of surviving a northern climate with nothing but a wood stove to keep them warm, but either way, my aunts and uncles seemed to live longer than most. After many drafts, many cuts, I felt the novel was ready to share with a publisher. What stays with me most about this process is the understanding I now have about the creative process. With an emotional and familial connection to the characters, there was a well from which to draw; but without the rich layers of historical fact and oral storytelling, there would have been no story.

Telling the Untold by Dieter Buse

When Graeme Mount and I researched and wrote Come on Over:  Northeastern Ontario we discovered that our area had many local cenotaphs listing hundreds of soldiers who had served. Yet, somehow Northeastern Ontario received no mention in Canadian military histories. We wondered why, given the attention to local participants in Canada’s various wars on Remembrance Days. In 2014 we decided to research the subject and put together a book, Untold: Northeastern Ontario’s Military History, Volumes I and II, showing the participation from this region. We knew so little then and were surprised at how much we found. As a wise man said “dig where you stand”, so we started with the public library. In Sudbury we found lists of individuals who had served compiled by librarians, Legions, and school groups. In Sault Ste. Marie we found hints at the structure of the military in anniversary booklets and memoirs from POWs. In Timmins the archivist allowed us to go through original newspapers. Soon we knew two things, the region had a much longer military tradition than anyone had noted due to the militias that had units over most of the northeast for all the 20th century. Further, we found that the men from northeastern Ontario were recruited in local battalions but then put into those identified with south, central and eastern Ontario. We next tried to find the lists of men or nominal rolls of the original battalions to let us answer basic questions, such as who were the men that enlisted and where did they fight or when? Most important were the service and medical files held in Ottawa. Summaries of the enlistment files for the First World War had been digitalized and the complete files were being done when we started and all are now available via the Internet. The summaries of the deceased of the Second World War had also been digitalized. Then we learned a trick: if we did not go to the Library and Archives Canada website, but to the Ancestry genealogical site for the service files, we could manipulate the data. We could ask for a list of all soldiers who had served from specific places by birthplace or who had lived there. That way we found who served and died from, say Moose Factory or Timmins or Algoma and Nipissing districts. Another trick was to use the registration number after or before the one we already had, say a soldier from Chapleau or Massey. Suddenly we discovered how many Indigenous served and seemed to have enlisted together. With that information, a careful look let us see patterns of when recruited, where placed and when died. The individual medical files revealed special cases and by coordinating with dates of battles we knew where they served on the front. Hence our books have sections on Indigenous, Francophones, Forestry Corps, Railway Troops and Tunnelers. War diaries of units, personal memoirs, and newspapers all provided stories and soon our collection of information grew into a mass that needed structure and organization. Instead of the usual chronological approach, we decided our study would have more impact if we did it in three parts. The first, is the wars which shows that Northeasterners participated, contributed and sacrificed in all the major Canadian battles. The second, is their experiences, demonstrating the interesting stories which emerged on the battle and home fronts. The third is remembrance, showing the special aspects of commemoration in this area. While putting together the books we went to legions, asked media to announce our project and started asking for more stories by revealing some of what we had collected to date about POWS, women’s roles, special units in which Northeasterners were represented. Writing, reorganizing, discussing what to emphasize, following hints on good materials. What was most interesting is family members digging out old diaries, newspaper articles, service records and photographs that helped us tell the untold stories of those who served in the military. These books finally highlight the contributions made by men and women from northeastern Ontario to military service.