Back Issues

The Winter 2023 issue features Adèle Barclay's winning story from the 2023 Fiction Contest, as well as work from John Wall Barger, Susan Gillis, Ellie Sawatzky, and many other fantastic writers. Order your copy of issue 294 today! 

The BIPOC Solidarities Special Issue is meant as an opening, extending the invitation to BIPOC writers to transform the content and spirit of The Fiddlehead far beyond a single issue; this issue is a commitment to transformation and accountability. To order a copy of issue 290 please email fiddlehd@unb.ca. 

Introduction: Mark Jarman and Clarissa Hurley

Fiction: Brianna Minks, Alix Ohlin, Tamas Dobozy, Kate Cayley, Martin James Ainsley, Wayne Curtis, Roy Kesey, Cassidy Menard, Jonathan D. Meyer, Donna Tranquada, Miriam Vaswani, Jowita Bydlowska, Aidan O’Donoghue, Nadja Lubiw-Hazard, Melanie Bell, Kate Hansen, Maria Kubacki, Matthew Hooton

Reviews: Richard Cumyn, Carol Bruneau, Kate Kennedy, Richard Kelly Kemick, Véronique Darwin, Rebecca Geleyn, Clarissa Hurley

Artwork: Muhammad Al-Digeil

The Winter 2021 issue is packed with outstanding poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction! The issue features a memorial tribute to Don Domanski, as well as Rubens' Salmon by Elise Thorburn, the winning story from our 2020 Fiction Contest.

Introduction: Sue Sinclair

Poetry: Ian Williams, Conor Kerr, Patricia Young, Marianne Boruch, Sharon McCartney, Scott Lemoine, Rayanne Haines, Alyda Faber, Billeh Nickerson, Lindsay Bird, Adam Sol, Tammy Armstrong, Eleonore Schönmaier, Jaswinder Bolina, Émile Nelligan trans. Ben Ladouceur, John Reibetanz, Gary Barwin, Kirby, Simon Brown, Isabella Wang, Heather Bartlett, Stephen Dunn, Shane Neilson, Kevin Heslop, Geneviève Paiement, Jessica Johns, Domenica Martinello, RM Vaughan, M.L. Martin, Jordan Abel, John Barton, James Langer, Neil Surkan, Ellie Sawatzky, Terese Mason Pierre, Helen Robertson, Perry Reimer, Cynthia Hogue, Rhea Tregebov, Kevin Shaw, Alice Burdick

Reviews: Travis Lane, Lynn Davies, Clarissa Hurley, Emily Skov-Nielson, Susan Haley

Artwork: Derek Beaulieu and Rhys Farrell

Introduction: Sue Sinclair

Advisory Board Introductions: Sharon Bala, Brian Bartlett, Billy-Ray Belcourt, Jo-Anne Elder, Rowan McCandless, Soraya Peerbye, Shannon Webb-Cambell

Contributors: Roy J. Adams, Mary Barnes, Brandi Bird, J.D. Black, Selina Boan, Nicole Breit, Brian Brett, Laurie Brinklow, Jake Byrne, Antony Di Nardo, Jo-Anne Elder, Tanya Evanson, Alyda Faber, Sue Goyette, Mackenzie Ground, Maureen Scott Harris, Maheen Hyder, shalan joudry, Jónína Kirton, Eva Kolacz, Hege A. Jakobsen Lepri, Lee Maracle, Rachel McCrum, Sofia Mostaghimi, Susan Musgave, Nolan Natasha, Cecily Nicholson, Arleen Paré, Barbara Pelman, E. Alex Pierce, Michelle Porter, Gabriel Robichaud, Ingrid Ruthig, Clarisse Baleja Saïdi, Anna Swanson, Michelle Sylliboy, Émilie Turmel, Arielle Twist, Jean Van Loon, Margo Wheaton.

Artwork: Sophie Hamidovic, Saman Sarheng, April White.

Introduction: Sue Sinclair

Creative Nonfiction: Dafna Izenberg, Madeline Sonik, and Barrett Bowlin

Fiction: Marléne Zadig, Florence MacDonald, and Tamas Dobozy

Poetry: Georgette LeBlanc, Anouk H. Henri, Ken Babstock, Roxanna Bennett, Maheen Hyder, Heather Christle, Nisa Malli, George Bowering, Gordon Lonethunder, Cara Waterfall, Carolyn Oliver, Alexei Perry Cox, Koby L. Omansky, Corey Ginsberg, Jenny Boychuk, Nancy Kang, Christina Shah, and John Elizabeth Stintzi

No. 277 (Autumn 2018) 

Our first ever creative nonfiction issue sets side by side a broad collection of creative nonfiction works, ranging in subject matter from psych wards, spider games, and shootings. Reading this issue resembles the experience of sitting around a campfire recounting true stories to loved ones using literary techniques of storytelling, keeping everyone hooked on every word. There’s sometimes a personal attachment to each story, creating a deep connection between author and reader. It is an intense reading experience entangling heavy topics with the gripping literary techniques of fiction writing.  

What is creative nonfiction? Alicia Elliot attacks this question in the editorial. The issue is left unresolved; “there’s something about CNF that defies definition, that pushes against any box anyone tries to force it into.” There is no clear and concise answer that could fully incorporate all expressions of creative nonfiction writing.  It is what you want it to be and becomes apparent by the diverse forms of writing found in the issue. 

“The Lives of Milton Acorn” by Nicholas Herring reviews the life of Canadian poet Milton Acorn. Herring lists monumental moments throughout Acorn’s life but adds a realistic twist to the narrative. It demonstrates that writing a creative nonfiction piece does not have to be a personal project but can focus on a true story outside of oneself. Whereas “Garlic Pussy” by Zarrin Darnell-Martin juxtaposes an everyday life problem, having a yeast infection, with dealing with grief. It exemplifies an extremely intimate, almost voluntarily uncomfortable, form of creative nonfiction work.   

The cover is from a local artist, Braelyn Cyr. It depicts Chief Allan Polchies Jr., Atlantic Canada’s first two-spirit leader. This portrait, as well as six others, were auctioned off as a fundraiser for Rainbow Railroad, a charity protecting LGBTQ2+ refugees against state sanctioned violence.  

—Bailey Noiles
Intern, November 2021 

Welcome to our 2018 Spring issue! Read the winning poems and excerpts from the winning stories from our 27th annual literary contest. And as editor Ross Leckie puts it: "Pick up the gorgeous spring issue and you can bend its soft pages this way and that, pulling an early spring toward you or stretching the snowy pages toward May flowers."

Remembering Alden Nowlan: Ross Leckie, David Adams Richards, and Corinne Schriver Wasilewski.

Fiction: Brent van Staalduinen, Carmelinda Scian, Tony Robinson-Smith, David Huebert, Tina Silver, Andrea Routley, and Hugh Graham.

Poetry: Bardia Sinaee, Darren Bifford, Warren Heiti, Douglas Burnet Smith, Jim Johnstone, Katrina Naomi, Laura Ritland, and Paul Vermeersch.

Reviews: Lynn Davies, Clarissa Hurley, Kate Cayley, Alexander Carey, and Susan Haley.

Introductions: Ross Leckie.

Fiction: Kate Finegan, Steven Benstead, Ann Cavlovic, Shane Goth, and Deirdre Simon Dore.

Poetry: Dominique Bernier-Cormier, Tammy Armstrong, Kim Trainor, Norman Dubie, Julie Eliopoulos, Kurt Skov-Nielsen, Barry Dempster, Rocco de Giacomo, Heather Cadsby, and Michael Trussler. 

Reviews: Mark Dickinson, M. Travis Lane, Susan Haley, Richard Kelly Kemick, Rebecca Geleyn, and Shane Neilson.

Fiction: Richard Kelly Kemick, Sheila McClarty, Jaki McCarrick, Grant Buday, and Martin L. West.

Poetry: Aislinn Hunter, Brittney Scott, D.S. Stymeist, Bruce Bond, Andre Demers, Joelle Barron, Monica Kidd, Jami Macarty, Laura K. McRae, Julie Cameron Gray, Rob Taylor, Ricardo Pau-Llosa, Doyali Islam, Ellen Kombiyil, Cristina Viviani, Mallory Tater, Gerald Hill, and Deirdre Laidlaw.

Out of Place: Ann Copeland.

Reviews: Anita Lahey, Clarisssa Hurley, Emily Skov-Nielsen, Ryan Gaio, and Mark Dickinson. 

It's that time of year when fiddleheads are now bountiful along New Brunswick riverbanks, which means it's that also that time of year for our Spring issue. Inside you'll find a lovely tribute to Frances Firth Gammon, one of The Fiddlehead founding members, written by her daughter Carolyn Firth Gammon. You'll also find the winners of our 25th annual literary contest, Brent van Staalduinen for short fiction and Michael Eden Reynolds for poetry. 

Editorials: Ross Leckie, Carolyn Firth Gammon

Fiction: Brent van Staalduinen, Sarah L. Taggart, Cathy Kozak, Lauren Carter, Michael Meagher, Connie Gault, Barry Dempster. 

Poetry: Frances (Firth) Gammon, Michael Eden Reynolds, Alison Goodwin, Jeff Parent, Ruth Roach Pierson, Richard Norman, Michael Pacey, Adèle Barclay, Susan Gillis, Clea Roberts, Adele Graf, Maureen Scott Harris, Peter Richardson, Bill Howell.

Reviews: Ian Colford, M. Travis Lane, Susan Haley, Richard Kelly Kemick, Allen Bentley, Sean Johston.

Fiction: Steven Heighton, Lorna Jackson, Paul Carlucci, and Wayne Yetman.

Poetry: Rachel Rose, Dan O'Brien, Nick Thran, Annick MacAskill, Allison LaSorda, John Terpstra, Jane Spavold Tims, Lenea Grace, Sean Howard, John Barton, Elizabeth Hoover, Howard Wright, Michelle Barker, Nathan Mader, Mike Caesar, Conor Mc Donnell, Sarah B. Wiseman, and Bert Almon.

Reviews: Shane Neilson, Richard Kelly Kemick, M. Travis Lane, Rebecca Geleyn, and Mark Dickinson.

Editorial: Ross Leckie.

Fiction: Lisa Alward, David McLaren, Kari Lund-Teigen, Mark Jordan Manner, and A.W. Marshall.

Poetry: Sean Howard, Michael Prior, Julie Cameron Gray, Louisa Howerow, Barry Dempster, Kate Kennedy, Emily Skov-Nielsen, Michael Quilty, Gerald Hill, Sue Chenette, Iain Higgins, David Solway, John Kinsella, Darryl Whetter, Laura Matwichuk, Micheline Maylor, Roger Nash, Amber Homeniuk, Kateri Lanthier, Bill Howell, and rob mclennan.

Reviews: M. Travis Lane, Ian Colford, Jenny Haysom, Rebecca Geleyn, and Richard Kelly Kemick.

Editorials: Ross Leckie, Mark Anthony Jarman, Douglas Gibson, and D.R. MacDonald

Stories: Alistair MacLeod, Matthew Leslie, Richard Cumyn, and Charlie Fiset.

Poetry: Stephanie Yorke, Brian Bartlett, Susan Buis, Jocko Benoit, Rocco de Giacomo, Michael Prior, Catherine Graham, Roger Nash, John Wall Barger, Kerry-Lee Powell, and Erin Noteboom & Seánan Forbes.

Reviews: Rebecca Geleyn, Michael Greenstein, Mark Sampson, Susan Haley, M. Travis Lane, and Shane Neilson.