Skip to content

Grad Feature: Anne Logan

Anne Logan graduated from the Creative Book Publishing program in 2008 and has been involved in the Canadian book industry for the past 12 years as a publicist, literary festival programmer, and reviewer. She is a Past President of the Writers' Guild of Alberta and the current Director of Strategic Partnerships for Calgary Reads.  As the book columnist for CBC Calgary, she reviews books on radio and television. In addition to reviewing books online at ivereadthis.com, her writing has also been published in Alberta Views, Write, and WestWord Magazine. She was recently named one of Calgary Public Library's Reading Influencers.

Find out more about Anne and how Humber helped her turn her English Literature degree into an exciting and fulfilling career centered on books and reading.

_______

What is your current job title and what does that mean on a daily basis?

Director of Strategic Partnerships at Calgary Reads, a non-profit with a mission to equip communities with the books, knowledge, and inspiration they need to support every child reading by grade 3.

I regularly work with publishers, literacy experts and the fellow book-lovers to accomplish my goals, which includes encouraging others to read books as much as I do! The other big part of my job is  fundraising which includes stewarding donors, completing grant applications, and researching potential corporate funding programs. I’m also starting a book club focused on supporting caregivers who want to build regular literary discussions into their family routine. Also, my office is full of books, which I consider a great perk of the job.

Can you tell us about your favourite project you’ve worked on or a project that you are particularly proud of?

One of my ongoing projects continues to be my book blog ivereadthis.com where I review books on a weekly basis. I started it back in 2013 when I left my job at Wordfest, Calgary’s book festival, and moved into the non-profit world. I wanted to stay connected to publishing and continue to learn about all the new releases, so I started this website to do that. It has grown into a passion of mine that I dedicate hours of my life to, plus it continues to connect me with other book lovers all around the world. My blogging has also grown into other opportunities, including interviewing authors and my monthly book segment on CBC Calgary radio. This website is a labour of love, as I don’t make much money doing it, but the thrill of regularly getting free new books on my doorstep is totally worth it.

How did your time at Humber help you get where you are now?

When I graduated with an English Literature degree from Queen’s University it felt like a big accomplishment, but I also knew it wasn’t going to actually lead to any valuable job prospects. Attending the book publishing program at Humber is the only way I could have accessed the career path I now enjoy. As soon as I completed the program I secured an internship at Cormorant Books, and from there I got my job at Wordfest out in Calgary. All the connections I made to publishing professionals during my time at Humber led to the extensive network I rely on today for both my job at Calgary Reads, and my blogging.

Give us a tip (or tips) for students and recent grads hoping to follow in your footsteps.

Communicate your enthusiasm to anyone and everyone you meet in school. Try as hard as you can to secure an internship when you leave, and network with as many people as possible. The Canadian publishing industry is small but welcoming; if you are willing to work hard and lend a helping hand no matter what the task, people will want you on their team.

_______

Find out more about Anne on social media! She’s on:

You can also sign up for her newsletter here: ivereadthis.com/subscribe/

Anne Logan

Photo credit: Fuller Edge Photography