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My Canadian Publishing Journey: Why I Chose to Stay North of the Border

When I first set out to publish The Second Coming of Grace, I knew I was stepping into unfamiliar territory—not just as a debut novelist, but as a Canadian author navigating a publishing industry often dominated by the American market.

There were moments when I seriously considered buying my ISBNs through Bowker, the American agency. With the U.S. option, I could have had everything ready in a flash—preorders, bookstore distribution, metadata in place. But something in me hesitated. Not just because of the cost (though $295 USD is no small thing in Canadian dollars), but because the story I’ve written is deeply Canadian—and I wanted my publishing path to reflect that.

Grace Morgenstern’s story is rooted in Toronto’s streets, its neighbourhood cafés, its vibrant theatre scene. It’s a novel about spiritual awakening, yes—but also about place. About home. About what it means to come back to yourself in a world that doesn’t always make space for quiet truths.

So I applied for my ISBNs through Library and Archives Canada. It takes longer. It means waiting. But it also means something real: I get to publish under my own imprint, Nuance Publishers, as a fully Canadian author. No asterisks. No workarounds.

And that feels important—not just for this book, but for the road ahead.

There’s something quietly radical about telling a story that refuses to relocate for market trends. The Second Coming of Grace doesn’t chase a New York skyline or a Hollywood arc. It offers something different: a luminous, interior journey set against the spiritual backdrop of Toronto—a city as haunted and hopeful as Grace herself.

And now, as I move toward the next steps—prepping files, managing two publishing platforms, putting the final touches on Threads of Light—I’m grateful I chose to root this process in the same soil as the story itself.

Stay tuned for a second post about why I set The Second Coming of Grace in Toronto—and how Canada, with all its contradictions, shaped the world Grace moves through.

Thanks for being part of this journey. Truly.

— Naomi

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Naomi Vondell

Naomi Vondell is a Canadian writer of literary fiction with spiritual undertones, emotional resonance, and a touch of quiet humour. She lives in Northwestern Ontario, having spent most of her adult life in Toronto and the surrounding area. Her work explores themes of identity, memory, faith, and transformation. A lifelong storyteller, Naomi’s creative path has included acting, songwriting, and screenwriting. She holds a Master’s degree in clinical psychology and worked for years as a psychometrist before turning to fiction full-time. She earned her Creative Writing Certificate from the University of Toronto and studied screenwriting through UCLA Extension, where she trained with industry professionals—including a Star Trek: The Next Generation writer. Naomi is also a caregiver, a lover of Shakespeare and Buster Keaton, a fan of classic sitcoms and naval history, and a survivor of childhood bullying due to her neurodivergence. Her writing is shaped by curiosity, compassion, and a deep reverence for stories that reach across time. She is currently at work on a play (The Shell), two feature films (Going Global and a body-swap political satire), and a companion story collection titled Before the Light.

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