Do anthologies have popular appeal these days? And if not, why not? We’re told that readers have given up on novels and want something shorter, that the novella is making a comeback and that, short stories, flash fiction and graphics are what catches the book buying public’s attention. Most comments about the reading public need to be taken with at least half a teaspoonful of salt, of course. But it does seem that short, varied pieces of writing with strong individual points of view ought to appeal to a wide audience and since an anthology usually has “something for everyone” within its covers shouldn’t it be just the ticket?

The Spirit of the Hills Writers’ Group , based in Northumberland County Ontario, has published two anthologies, in 2012 and 2015, and is about to launch the third Hill Spirits 111 at our Festival of the Arts in early November. They…