When I was at college, in Toronto in the late 1960's, I really liked the IDEA of being a writer. I can't say I decided to be a writer
because I really felt I would never be able to write, as I had neither
the talent or anything important to say to the world. I tried and would
start novels with great excitement but rarely got beyond the first
paragraph. Literally. It just didn't come. Twenty five years later I sat down at my new Apple computer one
day and started a story. The first line read;
"When
I left the doctors office I had lost all sense of thought and time. I
crossed Lawrence Avenue and walked East to the Rouge Go Train Station.
As I climbed the stairs to the platform, Lake Ontario came into view,
like the opening scene of a movie."
The next morning and every
morning for three months after when I sat before the keyboard and typed the
story fell out of me like it was per-recorded in my head. It was a
somewhat scary and exhilarating and mysterious feeling. Every day I wondered as I began to write, if the magic voice, as I called it was going to appear in my head. I am not saying
it was a great story or wonderful prose but it was on paper, it made sense and if
one could get beyond my terrible editing, it was ok.
I
entitled it, 'Act As If Ye Have faith'. I came to understand that it,
the story, had to have formulated in my subconscious over the years of
reading and viewing. I decided it was a creative experience that I had
heard other writers talk about and it felt great. I didn't talk to
anyone really about the experience, except my great supportive wife and
reader, Jean. I submitted it to a few literary agents and publishers but
they all rejected it. So I let it sit and went back to working and
making a living.
A few years later 2006, I tried
another story. I sat and wrote the first paragraph. Three months later I
had written another 62,000 word novel, I entitled it, 'Canada, The
Novel'. I didn't want to struggle with the publishing of it and selling
and the rejection so I published it online on a web site I built and
offered downloads free. Indeed I am certain I was one of the first to do
so and got some attention from TV and because I could track who, and
how many folks were downloading it. I know the Privy Council in Ottawa
did as did the Prime Minister's office. In fact the Canadian Security
Intelligence Service (CSIS) office did too because, I suppose, they
were mentioned in the story. Over 9,000 people downloaded it all over the
world. Then the web site Read Toronto serialized it for 30 days. It was
great fun. True story. (see the story link for the sample of the news reports I received)
In 2008, I wrote, 'Michael Burke',
with my son Jon. It is a 30,000 word novella,we self published and has sold quite well in
Newfoundland with the help of Ron Young, my friend and founder of
Downhomer Magazine. Recently the book was optioned for movie rights and I was,
just this week, a guest at Newfoundland Film Development corp.'s TIFF party (Toronto Film Fest.) The book is a true story of our ancestors life in 1850's, novelized. We shall see what the future holds...
A few years ago my brother
Patrick 'Paddy' died in Toronto. He was a sweet man and boy and
unfortunately could not control the drink. It killed him. The entire
family tried to save him but it was no use. He was never going to quite
drinking, he once told me. At his funeral in Pickering, next to my
parents grave, we buried his ashes after a small funeral. The priest
proceeded to deposit his ash urn which was wrapped in a lovely velvet
purple bag. It looked like that great bag you get when you buy Crown
Royal Canadian Whiskey and it had a gold braided tie rope at the top.
"Do
you want the bag left on?" He asked piously as he was about to lower
it. "Yes," I said, "it looks like a Crown Royal Whiskey bag and Paddy
would love that."
"Mr. Dwyer," he chastised, "that's not
appropriate."
"Oh Father, if you knew my brother, you would not feel
that way." A few chuckles made the day lighter. I am sure Paddy would have approved.
Link to the story: Author posts novel online for free
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