Baxter House Editions, a division of DarkWinter Press New Release: Canadian Authors Association Karen Gansel 2026 Short Fiction Contest Anthology!

Baxter House Editions is excited to announce the release of the Canadian Authors Association inaugural Karen Gansel 2026 Short Fiction Contest Anthology: The Postage Stamp in memory of late CAA member Karen Gansel, available now in paperback and e-version for Kindle. You can buy it here!

About the Anthology:

Karen Gansel was a long-time member of the  Canadian Authors Association, active in the Niagara Chapter of the CAA. She served on the National Board in several capacities, ending as Past Chair, and was active even as her health declined. Karen died in January of 2025, and her husband, Ken Gansel, sought to fund a legacy award in memory of Karen’s many efforts on behalf of the CAA.

In response, the Canadian Authors Association launched the inaugural Karen Gansel Short Fiction Contest in January 2026,  asking authors to write a short story of 3500-5000 words in response to an unknown ‘prompt’.  The prompt, published at 00:01 March 1, was an iconic Canadian cultural artifact: the 1972 Canadian postage stamp commemorating the centenary of artist Cornelius Krieghoff’s painting, The Blacksmith’s Shop, as pictured on the cover of this anthology. Entrants were asked to submit a manuscript which embodied both the image and the spirit of Canadiana.

Inside this anthology, you will find not only the 3 winners of the contest, but also the short-listed finalists and eleven other wonderful Canadiana short stories produced by the contest.

About the Canadian Authors Association:

The Canadian Authors Association was founded in 1921 by Stephen Leacock, Pelham Edgar, B.K. Sandwell, John Murray Gibbon (who became its first president), and other prominent writers of the time, to lobby for the protection of authors’ rights. It continues to do so in the present day, as well as offering a variety of member services, advocacy, awards, resources, and events. You can find out more here: www.canadianauthors.org