Breakwater Books is Newfoundland’s oldest publisher of local literature, and in so being, they have launched the careers of classic names as familiar as Percy Janes, Bernice Morgan, and Al Pittman. To this day, they continue to launch the careers of our latest upcoming voices, such as 2017 releases from Craig Francis Power (Skeet Love) and Bridget Canning (The Greatest Hits of Wanda Jaynes).

It was announced this week that Breakwater acquired Creative Books, merging their extensive catalogues of books, and rosters of authors.

Popular Creative Books’ authors include Jack Fitzgerald, Gerard Collins, and Ed Kavanagh, as well as a number of recent award winners and nominees, like Paul Rowe, Winterset Award winner for The Last Half of the Year, Megan Gail Coles,Winterset winner for Eating Habits of the Chronically Lonesome, Catherine Hogan Safer, Alistair MacLeod Short Fiction Award winner for Wild Pieces, and James MacLeod, whose non-fiction book, Turmoil, as Usual: Politics in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Road to the 2015 Election, was recently shortlisted for both the NL Book Award for Non-fiction and an Atlantic Book Award.

The acquisition aligns two extensive libraries under the one Breakwater roof, and yes you can buy books directly from them at their office on 1 Stamp’s Lane, or http://www.breakwaterbooks.com.

This transaction is effective immediately and includes the purchase of over 230 active titles, added to Breakwater’s list of over 300 active titles, and is the largest acquisition of this kind in the province’s history.

Rebecca Rose, owner and president of Breakwater Books said, “We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to purchase Creative Book Publishing and its outstanding portfolio of book titles, and to welcome so many talented writers into the Breakwater family. At a time when the book publishing industry is experiencing challenges and intense changes both within the province and across the country, we feel this transaction ensures the vitality of our local industry.”

Breakwater and Creative have been friendly competitors for years. They’ve co-hosted events and festivals together, like the Mixed Type Series and the esteemed Festival at Ochre Pit Cove.

Rose says the acquisition is “all in the name of promoting Newfoundland writers and books, and this purchase seems like the best and most natural way to honour that legacy and move forward with an even greater sense of community.”