Judith Copithorne, Another Order: Selected Works

my second paid review in a literary journal

Thank you to Arc Poetry Magazine, managing editor Chris Johnson and reviews editor Emily Stewart for accepting and helping me publish my first paid review in a literary magazine. I am chuffed to see my review of the great Judith Copithorne’s Another Order, Selected Works in Arc and in fine company too!

Pick up a copy of Arc’s Spring No. 103 here. Pick up a copy of Another Order: Selected Works by Judith Copithorne here or at your closest independent bookstore.

I believe that reviews are essential for continuing a discussion about literature.

If you’d like to read about review writing in Canada, I highly recommend this great essay by Jade Wallace. The essay also includes a link to Annick MacAskill’s crowd-sourced list of literary journals that publish reviews. My first paid review was in CAROUSEL. I created a visual poem and wrote about Bahar Orang’s Where Things Touch: A Meditation on Beauty. It is mentioned in Jade’s article under experimental reviews.

After Charles was laid off in November 2023, while applying for jobs and waiting for rejections, I was tempted by the great literary work being published by Canadian small presses, as I always am. Not able to spend money on books, I decided I would ask presses for review copies and try to place reviews in literary journals. I’ve been heartened by how responsive publishers and editors have been. In particular, I have really enjoyed working with editors. The response isn’t quick, but it’s always substantial and encouraging. I really love having my text edited. These editors do so with care and attention, making my reviews clearer and more effective.

Am I nervous about writing these and having them published? You bet. I worry I’ll make a drastic mistake and fuck up something the author has written or say something idiotic. A little voice tells me what a fool I am, how I shouldn’t dare to write a review. It’s a voice that so many of us have when we dare to try something new or different from what we normally do, or even something we normally do. Every day, I have to contend with that voice. For these reviews, I am doing my damndest to be accurate and faithful to the text, and to represent the writer’s words appropriately and effectively.

I am humbled by the great poetry and prose that exists in the world. I want to spread the news of Canadian work, especially that of women and non-binary writers who are D/deaf, disabled, BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ. This is where my focus is in reviewing as in the rest of my editing and curatorial practice.

Stay tuned for more reviews in Canthius, The Humber Literary Review and Event Magazine in the not-too-distant future, all being well. I also have several queries in to literary magazines for reviews of additional poetry, fiction and nonfiction books.

If you are a reviews editor at a Canadian literary journal and are looking for reviews, please contact me. I have about twelve books I’d love to review for you.

Thank you to free and paid subscribers. Your support helps! I am grateful to those who subscribe or if not able to, those who buy me a coffee.