News and Interviews

A Note to Open Book Readers

Red banner with a scalloped coral background, large white headline reading “A Note to Open Book Readers,” and the Open Book logo centered below.

Dear Readers,

After nearly two decades of celebrating Ontario books, authors, and publishers, Open Book will cease operations on August 31, 2026.

This is not an announcement we ever wanted to make. We feel so privileged to have served Ontario's literary community by connecting readers with incredible books, amplifying authors' voices, and showcasing the work of independent publishers across the province.

We are deeply grateful for the years of public funding and community support that made this work possible. Over the years, investment from our funders allowed Open Book to grow into a trusted resource for readers, educators, librarians, booksellers, and the publishing industry. Unfortunately, successive reductions in grant funding have made it impossible for us to continue operating.

While Open Book is coming to a close, our commitment to Ontario's publishing industry remains strong. Our sister organization, the Ontario Book Publishers Organization, will continue its work advocating for and supporting independent publishers across the province, strengthening the industry and ensuring that their stories continue to reach readers.

We would like to thank everyone who has been part of Open Book's journey. Thank you to our funders, partners, contributors, book publishers, authors, staff, and readers. We are so proud of what we’ve accomplished together and of the role Open Book has played in Ontario's literary landscape. It has been an honour to share and celebrate the remarkable stories created in this province.

Thank you for reading, for supporting Ontario books, and for being part of the Open Book community. Please continue to support Ontario authors and independent publishers by buying, borrowing, and talking about Ontario books.

Sincerely,

Holly, Kevin, and Sarah


Kevin Hardcastle is a fiction writer from Simcoe County, Ontario. He studied writing at the University of Toronto and at Cardiff University. His work has been widely published in journals including The New Quarterly, The Malahat Review, Joyland, Shenandoah and The Walrus. Hardcastle was a finalist for the 2012 Journey Prize, and his short fiction has been anthologized in The Journey Prize Stories 24 & 26Best Canadian Stories 15, and Internazionale.

Hardcastle’s debut short story collection, Debris, was published by Biblioasis in 2015. Debris won the 2016 Trillium Book Award, the 2016 ReLit Award for Short Fiction, was runner-up for the 2016 Danuta Gleed Literary Award, and was a finalist for the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.

His novel, In the Cage, will be published by Biblioasis in Fall 2017.