Since September 2009, we have been scheming with Arc Poetry Magazine to bring you the most epic issue in the history of literary magazines. You may think I’m exaggerating, and I say to you, dear skeptic, keep reading.  Yesterday, a case arrived from the printers, containing fifteen magazines. They are the most incredible magazines I have seen in my entire life.

If this photo had a sound effect, it would be the sound of angels singing

But these photos don’t really give you an idea of the size of the magazine. Here are some facts:

• When a case arrives from the printers, it usually contains 35 magazines. When we repack the boxes to send them to Magazines Canada, we can fit 41 magazines if we are very careful. And we are.
• The QuArc Issue weighs 1.24 lbs.
• There are 60 pieces of poetry/fiction/interviews/essays/something-in-between within the two front covers of the issue, excluding introductions.
• The QuArc Issue is, quite simply, two magazines in one. We’ve got your summer reading covered.


You won't believe me without visual aids, will you?

The issue is titled “The QuArc Issue,” not because we don’t know how to spell “quark,” but because it is the result of two stellar literary magazines (The New Quarterly and Arc Poetry Magazine) conjoining, like quarks, which never appear except in company with another of their kind. If you flip it upside down, you will find yourself staring at the beautiful front cover of Arc 66.

The two magazines are fused in the middle. Packed inside are contributions by Alice Munro, Christian Bök, Don McKay, Margaret Atwood, Joan Thomas and (obviously) many more. Because a monumental magazine of this size ships at parcel rate, we won’t be offering single copies by mail. If you’d like to get your hands on The QuArc issue, you’ll need to subscribe (check out our fabulous double subscription deal),  to visit us at one of our QuArc events (TBA), or beat the crowd to the newsstand before it sells out. If you already subscribe, it should be orbiting your postal universe as we speak. Happy reading!

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