Mother Tongue Publishing History

In 1994 we began as (m)Öthêr Tøñgué Press publishing beautiful limited edition chapbooks of Canadian poetry. Since then have published 28 letter-pressed poetry chapbooks and broadsides by Canadian poets; Stephanie Bolster, Lorna Crozier, Kate Braid, Cathy Ford, Maxine Gadd, Shirley Graham, Penn Kemp, Robert Kroetsch, Sylvia Legris, Peter Levitt, Daphne Marlatt, Susan McCaslin, P.K. Page, Murray Reiss, Nadine Shelly, Peter Such, Phyllis Webb and Patricia Young. As well as commissioned limited edition chapbooks by poets and artists.

Most of our publications employed handmade endpaper, beautiful cover stock, recycled paper, embossing, letterpress printing, handsewing, non-adhesive binding, tipped in photographs of paintings, signed and numbered. All were labour intensive and mostly created in-house.

All of our chapbooks had letterpress covers and most had beautiful original linocuts created by Peter Haase.

We have also held book art, letterpress and writing workshops, organized readings, book launches, and inspired others to start their own presses.

Trade Publishing

In 2008, after 18 years as an established private literary press on Salt Spring Island that has specialized in publishing Canadian poetry chapbooks, bookart and letterpress printing, we decided to expand our publishing mandate and enter into trade publishing. Our new trade wing was dedicated to publishing unique, bold and stimulating books by B.C. writers –poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, regional art history. Leaving a legacy of art and literature. We were committed to publishing outstanding emerging, mid-career and established B.C. writers and producing beautiful well-edited books that made a significant contribution to regional and national literature. The Unheralded Artists of BC series, is dedicated to recognizing unheralded B.C. artists and (hopefully, one day) will ignite an overdue discourse on 'others' artistic and historic significance. Our art books were written for the collector, curator and dealer as well as public institutions, students, teachers, historians, art lovers and individuals. As of 2020, we have published 52 trade books. End of December 2021, Mona retired from publishing after 50 years of service to the BC literary community. She is enjoying her new life.

–Mona Fertig, Peter Haase

Poet, editor, publisher, book artist, Mona Fertig has published 16 books and chapbooks, they include Mouth for Music (1979), 4722 Rue Berri (1986), Sex, Death & Travel (1998), Invoking the Moon–Selected Poems 1975-1995 (2006), The Unsettled (2010), The Life and Art of George Fertig (2010) and is working on a new poetry ms, Islander. She has also edited numerous anthologies, RockSalt, an anthology of 108 BC Poets ( with Harold Rhenisch), The Summer Book, Love of the Salish Sea Islands, 4 poets, The Pocket Guide to the Unheralded Artists of BC, etc. She runs Mother Tongue Publishing, on Salt Spring Island (and retired from publishing new authors end of 2021). She was the founder of Canada's first literary centre, The Literary Storefront, 1978-1985, in Gastown, Vancouver. The Vancouver Public Library made Fertig a Literary Landmark in 2016 for this accomplishment. She was also founding member of the Federation of BC Writers, the BC Book Prizes, the Feminist Caucus of the League of Canadian Poets; and she has been the BC/Yukon Rep of the Writers’ Union of Canada and P.E.N. Canada. She lives on Salt Spring Island with her husband, Peter Haase.

Author photo by Janet Dwyer

Early History

From 1990 -1994 we published a small international literary periodical called (m)Öthêr Tøñgués featuring work translated from the mother tongue to english and vice versa. Authors included: Siphiwe Ka Ngwenya, Adriana Batista, Stacy Creamer, Erin Moure, Thich Tue Sy, bill bissett, Roma Potiki, Kim Morrissey, Yuki Hartman, Tsvetanka Sofronieva, Elizabeth Allen, Dorothy Livesay, Joyce Parkes, Duo Duo, Margaret Pinney, Ann Diamond, Willie Ka Tshaka, Mark Sutherland, Jane Covernton, Sharon Negri, Ronnie R. Brown, Kim Chi-Ha, Li Min Hua, Memoye Abijah Ogu, Deena Padayachee, Hans Raimund, Loreina Santos Silva, Fritzi Harmsen Van Beek, Nam Hunt, Tanya Lester, Ioannidou-Stavrou, Antonio D'Alfonso, Artuo Arias, John Barlow, Dorin Tudoran, Sandi Johnson, Muriel Karr, Rhonda Wauhkonen, Mercedes Roffe, Anne Burke, Sigitas Geda, Tim Lander, Liliane Welch, Marie Luise Kashnitz, Tom Savage, D.C. Reid, Marosa Di Giorio, Mark Warrior, Han Shan, Zoe Landale, Eugenio Montale, Richard Trumball and more.

What people say about (m)Öthêr Tøñgué Presš Limited Editions

“On the west coast, (m)Öthêr Tøñgué Presš prints/illustrates some of the most attractive publications both textually and typographically. I very much look forward to their next publication.” –Eric Swanick, Head of Special Collections & Rare Books, SFU

“There are two critical tests of the fine books produced by private literary presses. The first, of course, is that the typography, design, paper, binding and illustrations all must demonstrate impeccable taste. The second, however, is equally important. The texts must simply be worth all of the effort that goes into
the production of the fine book. With (m)Öthêr Tøñgué Presš I can always rely on these two essential elements being present in the very highest degree.”–Dr. Richard Hopkins, Former Editor, Amphora, Book Collector and Bookseller

“Enduring as she is endearing, Mona Fertig has been a fixture in the firmament of B.C. writing and publishing for 30 years—and counting.”–Alan Twigg, B.C. BookWorld

“I’ve admired the work of (m)Öthêr Tøñgué forever. Mona and Peter are very high on my looking-way-up pedestal. Leaf Press is better for their influence ... they help me keep the faith.”–Ursula Vaira, Publisher, Leaf Press

"It’s always a treat to receive the MTP entries , which are unfailingly of high quality.If we had a lifetime achievement award for a Press,you would win it hands down." –Philip McKenna, bp nichol award

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Mother Tongue Publishing Limited

Mother Tongue Publishing History

Trade Publishing

Early History

What people say about (m)Öthêr Tøñgué Presš Limited Editions