Inferior Planet

The Audrey Jessup Short Story Contest

2026-03-03T05:17:00.000-08:00

Have you written an unpublished short story featuring a crime? Why not enter it into the Audrey Jessup Short Story Contest? The contest is open to Ottawa and the National Capital Region residents as well as all members of Capital Crime Writers. Visit the link for contest rules, deadline and prize info. Deadline is April 1, 2026.

capitalcrimewriters.com/events-contests/

Of Human Bondage Explores A Complex Inner Life

2026-02-17T06:23:00.000-08:00

W. Somerset Maugham’s novel, Of Human Bondage, was published in 1915. On the surface, it’s a rather drab story about an impressionable young man’s coming of age during the waning years of the Victorian era. The main character, Philip Carey, is born with a club foot and is orphaned at nine, then is sent to live with his stodgy aunt and uncle. Philip goes to boarding school and ignores his uncle’s pleas to attend Oxford, opting instead to travel to Germany, and later to Paris where he aspires to be a painter. After Paris, Philip returns to England to study to become a doctor. The action limps along without fireworks; most of the drama happens in Philip’s mind as he follows his passions and instincts rather than a careful life plan. Maugham writes: “he [Philip] seemed to see that the inward life might be as manifold, as varied, as rich with experience, as the life of one who conquered realms and explored unknown lands.” After Philip returns to England, he becomes infatuated with Mildred, a waitress at a tea shop. Mildred treats Philip horribly, and yet he can’t stop pursuing her. Mildred flits in and out of Philip’s life at different times, but her indifference and cruelty remain constant. (This is the most accurate account of unrequited love I’ve ever encountered in fiction.) One of my favourite sections in the novel is when Philip is introduced to the work of the Greek painter, El Greco (1541 - 1614). Philip has sympathy with El Greco who expresses the yearnings of his soul, and sees in the painter a new way of interpreting the world. The eyes of his subjects “look only in their hearts, and they are dazzled by the glory of the unseen.” Philip’s musings about El Greco continue for five pages, but this narrative detour is sheer delight. With simple language, subtle dialogue and slow, deliberate pacing, Of Human Bondage is a powerful story that captures the complex inner life of a man searching for truth, beauty and adventure, with his ragged hopes, fears, longings, demons and shortcomings, laid bare.

Italian Soccer Seen Through the Eyes of An Outsider

2026-01-04T07:57:00.000-08:00

The Miracle of Castel di Sangro is a striking work of non-fiction by American author Joe McGinniss (1942 - 1914), published in 1999. Driven by a sudden obsession with Italy’s most popular sport, McGinniss followed a fledgling soccer team around for an entire season as it competed in the coveted Serie B league. Playing in Serie B was an unlikely feat for Castel di Sangro, an impoverished town of 5,000 in the Abruzzo region. At stake was the pursuit of ‘la salvezza’ (the avoidance of being relegated to a lower division) and the pride of a remote town that had known little glory or distinction.

There is a charming ‘fish out of water’ element to this story as McGinness imbeds himself in the Italian culture and fumbles with the language and customs. “My own personality had merged so totally with that of the town and the team that I could not imagine a future without either,” he explains. But his passion for soccer, his journalist instincts and an eagerness to embrace all things Italian override any shortcomings and endear him to his hosts, many of whom seem equally baffled and flattered by his attentions.

With access to players, coaches and managers, McGinness provides a spirited account of the team’s ‘miracle’ season, which includes triumphs, scandals, heartbreaks, tragedies, and dramas; he does so with great flair, compassion, sensitivity, enthusiasm and humour. By his own admission, however, toward the end his stay, McGinness’s soccer obsession had become insufferable to some because of his strident views and opinions.

Those ‘insufferable’ views are not unfounded. As the author discovers to his dismay before the final game of the season, the miracle of Castel di Sangro isn’t so much a miracle as it is a fairytale, and the story ends on a rather sour note. But for all those who invested in this miracle season - townsfolk, players, families, fans, advertisers and the media - it was a fairytale worth believing in and a season to remember.

Chapters Peterborough Meet and Greet / Book Signing

2025-08-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

Attention crime / thriller / suspense fiction readers in Peterborough! I’ll be at Chapters Peterborough on Saturday September 20 (11 AM – 3 PM) for a Meet and Greet and book signing. I’ll be signing copies of my two crime thriller novels, A Case Against the Clock and The Ghosts of Willow Beach. For each copy of A Case Against the Clock sold, I’ll be donating $1.00 (CA) to ALS Canada.

Fun Fact: A Case Against the Clock contains a Peterborough connection to the plot.

2025-03-01T06:32:00.000-08:00

I’m thrilled to announce the launch of my second crime thriller novel, The Ghosts of Willow Beach. It’s a darkly disturbing story about a grisly discovery made inside a dead man’s basement, which prompts an investigation led by homicide detective Dieter Gorman. Shocking revelations about key suspects will expose a decades-long mystery and forever alter Gorman’s perceptions of good and evil.

A special thank you to Jaret Fattori, Emma Fattori, (the late) Rod Urquhart, Amy McIntyre, Anna Di Meglio, Kathy MacLellan, Darryl Oreskovich, Diane Brousseau and Sigrid Macdonald for their professional assistance, and to the many friends, family members and fellow authors who have provided support, encouragement and inspiration.

The Ghosts of Willow Beach is available as an e-Book and a paperback on Amazon. Stay tuned for news about upcoming book signings in the spring and summer of 2025.

Click Here To Order

2025-02-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

I'm excited to announce that my new crime thriller novel, The Ghosts of Willow Beach, is scheduled to be released on Mardch 1, 2025. The book will be available as a Kindle Edition and as a paperback, on Amazon. The Kindle editon is currently available on pre-order at the link below.

Here's a brief plot summary:

A small fishing boat with two men aboard washes ashore in the sleepy community of Willow Beach. One man doesn’t speak, and the second man – a reclusive scrap dealer – is dead. In conducting his investigation, Homicide Detective Dieter Gorman makes a grizzly discovery at the dead man’s home. In the basement, he’s confronted with a scene of unimaginable horror.

Gorman is drawn into a darkly disturbing case that is impeded by a suspect who is unable to communicate, and by a retired newspaper reporter who might hold important clues but who suffers from Alzheimer disease. In his search for answers, Gorman relies on his savvy street smarts and on LSD, a potent hallucinogenic which has helped him in prior investigations.

Will Gorman’s investigative skills and acid tripping be enough to solve the biggest case of his career? Whatever the final outcome, shocking revelations about key suspects will expose a decades-long mystery and forever alter Gorman’s perceptions of good and evil.

Here is the link to pre-order: Click Here

First Book Signing for 'A Case Against the Clock'

2024-10-24T10:01:00.000-07:00

My first-ever book signing event for ‘A Case Against the Clock’ is in the books! By all measures, the day was a resounding success in terms of books sold, overall attendance and lively conversation. A heartfelt thank you to my family, friends and fellow authors who showed up to buy my novel and to offer their support. A special thanks to Melissa Kargus and Michelle Taylor of Indigo Kanata for arranging this event and for their unwavering support for local authors; to Emma, Jaret and Barbie for making the long trek; and to Chi Chi Nguyen for going the extra mile in spreading the word. It was fun meeting readers and talking books, authors, writing, stories, publishing and the written word. For every book sold, I’ll be donating $1.00 (CAN) to ALS Canada.

Franklin Expedition Reimagined Through Fiction

2024-10-11T06:14:00.000-07:00

Far too many years have passed since I last read a Dan Simmons novel (Hyperion, Song of Kali, back in the ‘90s). Just finished Simmons’ The Terror (2007), a fictionalized account of the 1845 Franklin Expedition. Simmons constructs a compelling and heart-wrenching narrative of the tragic attempt to locate the Northwest Passage in the Canadian Arctic, based on true events and actual crew members aboard the two ships (HMS Terror and HMS Erebus). Simmons’ vivid descriptions of the hostile winter conditions, coupled with realistic portrayals of the main players, including Captain Sir John Franklin himself and Franklin's second-in-command, Francis Crozier, make for an absorbing work of historical fiction. The novel precedes more or less chronologically using frequent flashbacks and dream sequences. The Terror is further enriched with elements of horror and the supernatural, which create an underlying sense of foreboding as the crews’ circumstances become more desperate and hopeless with each passing day. In addition to being a captivating read, this novel is a study of human nature and the extremes to which men will go when faced with unrelenting threats to their survival. All in all, this is a brilliant novel that left me in awe of Simmons’ talent as a wildly imaginative writer and a gifted storyteller.

Secrets of Stone Is A Remarkable Work of Fantasy Fiction

2024-09-10T08:00:00.000-07:00

Secrets of Stone is a debut fantasy adventure novel by a talented young writer named Coltrane Seesequasis. Coltrane, a writer of Indigenous heritage who grew up in Gatineau, Quebec, has created a future world in which humans have become extinct and which is ruled by sentient wolves. From start to finish, I was swept up in the coming-of-age adventures of the young wolf, Silversong, who embarks on a perilous journey across a hostile landscape, in an attempt to vanquish his enemies and win the respect of his tribe. The novel is populated by wolves imbued with human characteristics, and includes surprising plot twists, fantastical imagery and remarkable insights into human thought and behaviour. I can’t recommend Secrets of Stone highly enough, and I’m looking forward to the next novel in this planned four-book series. I recently had the pleasure of attending Coltrane’s first-ever book signing, at Indigo Rideau Centre in Ottawa. To learn more about the author and to order Secrets of Stone, visit coltranebooks.com. Congratulations, Coltrane!

Hiaasen's Tourist Season Is Satire at its Best

2024-07-18T05:14:00.000-07:00

Carl Hiaasen’s Tourist Season is a flat-out hoot of a novel that delivers all you’d expect from one of America’s wittiest novelists. The story involves a zany but engaging plot, a crew of outrageous characters, biting satire, hilarious dialogue and a sprinkling of social commentary. Published in 1986, in the pre-internet, pre-smartphone era, Tourist Season begins with several bizarre and seemingly unrelated deaths in Miami, Florida. A former reporter turned private eye, Brian Keyes, suspects that these deaths are more than random. His investigation leads him to the Miami Sun, and eventually to a group of reactionaries hell bent on fomenting enough fear and panic to drive tourists (and future economic development) out of the Sunshine State. This ragtag group is led by a popular (and deranged) Sun columnist and includes a former pro football player, an ex-Cuban militant and an indigenous entrepreneur with a score to settle. From the opening scene when a visiting Shriner goes missing to the final pages where a coral isle is about to be blown to smithereens, Tourist Season is a fun, lively romp that will keep readers entertained and laughing all the way.

I, The Jury - Sheer Escapist Fun

2024-05-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

"I hate too hard and shoot too fast.” Mickey Spillane, I, The Jury

First published in 1947, I, The Jury by Mickey Spillane introduced a private detective named Mike Hammer. Hammer, who appeared in twenty-two novels and short stories, and in numerous films and TV series, embodies the classic elements of a noir private eye: he’s equal parts charming, cynical, tough guy, hard drinking, and intolerant of anyone who gets in his way. He’s like a one-man wrecking ball, pursuing leads and hunches with pit bull determination in an effort to ferret out the truth. In I, The Jury, a close friend and war buddy of Hammer’s, Jack Williams, is murdered, and suffers a particularly cruel and painful end. Hammer vows to avenge his friend’s death by meting out his own form of justice. As the story unfolds, and suspects are mysteriously killed, Hammer finds himself falling in love with a beautiful psychiatrist named Charlotte who might hold clues about Williams’s murder. There is a whiff of cheesiness about this novel, but it’s quality cheese nonetheless. Spillane’s writing is sparse, gritty, fast-paced and devoid of sentimentality or pretensions of reality, but in terms of sheer fun and escapism, I, The Jury delivers a one-two punch of reading pleasure.

Interview with Kristin Macdonald

2024-05-05T14:02:00.000-07:00

On May 2nd, 2024, I had the honour and pleasure of being interviewed by Kristin Macdonald for her radio / podcast called Second Vision. Kristin is partially sighted as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, and she interviews people who have found amazing ways to overcome personal injuries and conditions, as well as leaders in medicine and scientific research, actors and inspirational speakers. Kristin and I talked about my debut novel, A Case Against the Clock, whose protagonist is a retired criminal profiler who is battling ALS; about personal loss and about dealing with grief. Kristin is an incredibly gifted interviewer who made the experience fun, engaging and enjoyable.

Click here to listen to interview.

TV Appearance on Daytime Ottawa (Rogers)

2024-04-15T14:38:00.000-07:00

A heartfelt thank you to Daytime Ottawa host, Derick Fage, and the entire volunteer crew for the opportunity to be on the show on Friday April 12th. This was my first ever live TV appearance, discussing my debut crime thriller novel, A Case Against the Clock, and the history of ALS in my family. Derick and crew could not have been more courteous and accommodating. Derick’s engaging personality and professionalism made the interview seem effortless. I’m grateful to Derick and to the talented volunteers working behind the scenes for making this such a wonderful and memorable ‘on-air’ experience. It was also a pleasure meeting the other guests prior to the show - @siskphoto and @fitwithjulesnow. My segment begins at the 49-minute mark.

Crime Thriller Novel, A Case Against the Clock, Is Now Available!

2024-02-27T07:56:00.000-08:00

I’m delighted to announce the launch of my debut novel, A Case Against the Clock. It’s a thriller about a criminal profiler, Reg Battie, who has been retained by police to help identify the person responsible for three vicious murders. But, Reg has a challenge – he’s battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease.

A special thank you to the many friends, family members and colleagues for their support and feedback in helping to bring this novel to life.

A Case Against the Clock is available from Amazon as an eBook and as a print-on-demand paperback. See link below. For every book sold, I’ll be donating $1.00 (CAD) to ALS Canada.

Click Here To Order

A Case Against the Clock Set for February 26, 2024 Release

2024-01-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

I’m excited to announce the upcoming launch of my debut novel, A Case Against The Clock. It’s a thriller about a criminal profiler, Reg Battie, who has been retained by police to help identify the person responsible for three vicious murders. But, Reg has a challenge – he’s battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and fatal neuromuscular disease.

On the book’s launch date, February 26, 2024, A Case Against The Clock will be available from Amazon as an eBook and as a print-on-demand paperback. I’ll be donating $1.00 (CAD) for every book sold to ALS Canada. More book launch details to follow in February. #als #alscanada #crimefiction #detectivefiction #author

Nature as Nurturer

2021-09-14T06:03:00.098-07:00

The Well-Gardened Mind, The Restorative Power of Nature

By Sue Stuart-Smith

Scribner Trade Paperback Edition, May 2021

I’ve long understood the mental and physical benefits of communing with nature, either by taking a walk in a forest, spending time gardening or simply being around plants and flowers. In Sue Stuart-Smith’s illuminating, The Well-Gardened Mind, she presents a series of fascinating case studies and evidence to underscore the positive impact that the natural world can have on a person’s life and well-being.

Stuart-Smith is a psychiatrist and psychotherapist who has worked with patients whose lives have been transformed by pursuing various horticultural activities. She provides many examples of how people suffering from depression, trauma and addictions have felt more at peace with themselves and more purposeful in life by embracing the natural world.

Her book begins with a tale about her late grandfather, a World War I veteran who had been a prisoner of war. Upon his release after the War, his pursuit of gardening became a lifelong passion. He was employed for a time as a gardener, and for the rest of his life, gardening provided a kind of therapy that helped him cope with the traumas he faced during wartime.

The positive impact of gardening can have health benefits for everyone, not only those who are suffering from trauma, addictions or mental health challenges. Stuart-Smith tells of a program run by the New York City Department of Corrections and the Horticultural Society of New York, where prison inmates are given the opportunity to tend gardens. The curriculum combines elements of horticultural therapy, vocational training, and ecological awareness.

The Hort program, as it is known, provides a welcome haven within the prison grounds, where inmates work in a relaxed environment and feel a sense of satisfaction in tending to and watching their flowers, plants and vegetables grow. Incredibly, among inmates who attend the program, the rate of re-offending is 10 – 15 per cent, compared to 65 per cent for those who don’t participate in the program. One inmate, Martin, who wasn’t keen on joining the program at first, soon grew to embrace it. Martin had this to say about his experience: “The sense of physical freedom in which the possibility of a different way of life can be glimpsed.”

This is a book that is well researched and endlessly quotable. While reading it, I kept jotting down quotes about the restorative effects of gardens, flowers, fresh air and philosophy. (“As children, and let us not forget it, as adults, too, we need to dream, we need to do, and we need to have an impact on our environment. These things give rise to sense of optimism about our capacity to shape our own lives.”) Each chapter begins with a quote by a well-known writer, poet or scientist. One of my favourites is by neurologist and writer, Oliver Sacks, who wrote: “In many cases, gardens and nature are more powerful than any medication.”

One of the most moving sections of The Well-Gardened Mind concerns Sigmund Freud (1856 - 1939), the founder of psychoanalysis. Stuart-Smith makes multiple references to Freud, who had a lifelong passion for flowers and gardens. He particularly enjoyed orchids, and friends would send him orchids on his birthday every year. During Freud’s final months, as his health was declining, he surrounded himself with flowers and a garden, and he took pleasure in viewing the abundant greenery within view. This anecdote hit home with me personally: during my late wife’s final months in palliative care, she would spend her days in our living room, staring out the window at the evergreens, the birds and the forest. The view of wildlife and nature gave her a sense of peace and calm.

Stuart-Smith’s writing style is clear, concise, elegant and highly descriptive, as shown here in her depiction of gardens:

“The garden is a place that brings us back to the basic biological rhythms of life. The pace of life is the pace of plants; we are forced to slow down, and the feeling of safe enclosure and familiarity helps shift us to a more reflective state of mind. The garden gives us a cyclical narrative too. The seasons come around again, and we have a sense of return; some things are altered, some things are the same.”

Some books speak to us at specific periods in our life. The Well-Tended Garden is one such book. I picked it up at a time when I had assisted in a few landscaping projects, and I’ve recently started buying plants of various shapes and sizes for my home. Horticultural activities had never interested me before, but now that I’m doing it, I enjoy it. I feel as though a whole new world has opened up to me, and I have learned that plant life - aside from its visual appeal - does indeed have a salutary effect on my mood.

After reading The Well-Gardened Mind, I have a deeper appreciation for nature and our relationship to it. As many lives today revolve around computers, technology, isolation (Covid-19) and working in congested cities, it has led to higher levels of stress, loneliness, and depression and feelings of emptiness. This book shows how connecting with nature, either by planning a garden, planting flowers, working with soil or taking a leisurely in the woods, can lift one’s spirits and bring a renewed sense of joy and purpose and to our lives.

The Well-Gardened Mind is a book well worth a second or third read, and definitely book club worthy.

These Brief Shining Moments

2021-04-21T11:13:00.016-07:00

“Like a wind crying endlessly through the Universe, Time carries away the names and the deeds of conquerors and commoners alike. And all that we were, all that remains, is in the memories of those who cared we came this way for a brief moment.” - Harlan Ellison

I’m driving down Sherbourne Street in Toronto on a March afternoon with the car windows open, and I’m thinking about the apocalypse. We’re one year into a deadly pandemic and everyone outside is wearing a protective mask. People seem determined to get where they’re going, without fanfare, without smiles or nods. Further on, to my right, a makeshift campground has been erected on a patch of brown grass, and a few banners are flapping in the wind. I can’t make out the messages. A few people are mulling around the tents, guarding their turf. The mood appears to be one of weary resignation. I’m struck by the absence of any joy, happiness or urgency. I pull my car over to send a text message and notice a few graffiti-adorned storefronts that are shuttered. Across the street, a thin, middle-aged man wearing jeans is smoking a cigarette and pacing nervously back and forth, as if he’s waiting for someone. He seems to epitomize the mood on the street: agitated, fearful, and confused. Something tells me that this pocket of Toronto is a microcosm of the entire city during this time. If I had a mental image of what Toronto would look like if the world suddenly ended, this would be it.

This is a wonderful city but it’s also a wounded city, fractured by a year of lockdowns and restrictions, hardships and deprivations. Many businesses have closed down, some forever. Covid has taken a devastating toll: Over 100,000 cases of Covid have been reported in TO year over year, and close to three thousand people have died as a result of it. There are reports that Ontario is expected to go into another lockdown soon as infection numbers keep rising.

And yet - the lifeblood of this great metropolis still pulses. It’s not visible on sidewalks or street corners. It’s hidden, behind closed doors, in houses, apartments and condos. I’m visiting my son, who turns 27 today. My daughter is there too. Over the course of the evening, we get caught up, drink beer, play trivia on Zoom, and share a meal in a happy and relaxed atmosphere. This reunion with my children is a rare treat, as most of our communication for the past year has been through phone calls, FaceTime or text messages. This visit packs more emotional weight because of our isolation and separation, and because my late wife’s absence is felt more acutely during these family occasions. I drink in each moment like a parched wanderer who’s discovered an oasis and can’t stop slaking his thirst.

If the pandemic has taught me anything, it’s that people are the most precious things in our lives. Our relationships with friends, family, colleagues and neighbours provide emotional comfort and joy, they help define us and bring purpose to our lives. During the pandemic, I’ve come to appreciate those relationships more than ever. I feel for those who have had little or no physical contact with others since Covid began and are suffering from loneliness and depression. I feel for the elderly, the homeless and the sick who are on their own, without loved ones to care for them. I feel for young parents who are struggling financially and frontline healthcare workers who are working long hours and feeling burnt out. I feel for those who have lost their jobs and who are struggling with mental health challenges and hanging on by a thread. I feel for those who have lost loved ones to this dreaded virus and have been deprived of bedside vigils. A recent New York Times article talked about people who are so mentally exhausted that they literally spend hours staring at walls, unable to think, work or move. In the media, we hear the outrage, the anger, the fear, the criticisms, the conspiracies and the anxieties that have defined much of the public responses to this massive disruption to our lives. All things considered, I am one of the lucky ones during this pandemic: I work from home and I am grateful for the creative work I do, for my customers, for my good health, for my children, and for my circle of family and friends. Recently, I’ve come to the realization that at the end of our days, it’s not material possessions that give our lives meaning (that’s not to suggest that homes, work, careers, cars, toys, and trinkets can’t give us pleasure.). Rather, it’s the people who loved us along the way, the times we shared with them, and the memories we created. That’s the essence of a well-lived life. Oscar Wilde understood this when he wrote: “Who, being loved, is poor?”

The pandemic has reinforced our need to love and be loved. It has underscored our fundamental need to connect deeply with others, whether physically, spiritually or electronically, and it has prompted us to become more introspective, too. Many have taken to re-examining their lives, and have made new discoveries about themselves. Prior to Covid, prolonged soul-searching might have been viewed with a dismissive rolling of the eyes, but not any more. With lockdowns and restrictions, and deprived of social interactions, we are now exploring our inner lives with wide-eyed gusto, pursuing pastimes such as meditation, yoga, cooking, painting, crosswords, photography, journaling and, in some cases, adding them to our daily routines. These new pastimes nourish our souls and provide much enjoyment. As a result of this personal development, a strange phenomenon has occurred: We have learned to slow down, become better listeners, and are more empathetic. Random acts of kindness have broken out in communities across this great land. In June, 2020, a group of 10,000 volunteers in Chatham-Kent raised two million lbs. of food in a single day for local residents in need. Stories about personal and corporate goodwill are commonplace but rarely make the headlines. Our hearts are brimming with gratitude over things we once took for granted, such as clean drinking water, electricity, food, medicine, cars, clothes, healthcare, pets, libraries, the Internet, and the list goes on.

Soon the infection numbers will go down, and our lives will resume as before. Many who lived through the pandemic will be shaken by the stresses and traumas that they have encountered. Some will remain angry, cynical and broken by their experiences. Each of us will need to figure out what we’ve learned from our experiences and how to apply that knowledge to improving our lives and the lives of others, or whether we squander this opportunity and blithely go back to our old ways, patterns and habits. The choice is ours.

This pandemic may seem like a soul-destroying apocalypse, and for those who are suffering, it is, but it has also been a wake up call for many and has, I believe, shined a light on our better natures, ushered in a world where friendship, gratitude, love, caring, patience, tolerance, kindness and the pursuit of happiness have redefined what it means to be human. It has allowed many of us to examine our lives with greater honesty and to make adjustments where necessary. For when we stop long enough to smell the roses, we discover what a joy it is to be alive, to breathe in the fresh air, to talk to a friend, to help someone in need, to stare with wonder at the beauty of a Coneflower in bloom or a brilliant sunrise at dawn, and appreciate in those fleeting moments how precious life is.

No Place Like Home

2020-07-12T03:22:00.017-07:00

I’m sitting alone on my deck on this hot June evening as the sun fades and the forest crackles with cicadas, crickets and other creatures of the night, and I’m reminiscing about the wonderful occasions that brought family and friends together in this home over the past 32 years, and the cherished memories that are part of our family history. Soon I will move away and start a new life elsewhere, but tonight countless memories are dancing in my mind’s eye. I see my daughter, Emma, bright-eyed and smiling, hitting a Piñata with her friends on her 7th birthday. I see my son, Jaret, sitting on the living room floor, tearing open a Christmas present (Pokémon) and the joy alighting across his sleepy face. I see my late wife, Lisa, garnishing a leg of lamb (rosemary, from her garden) for our neighbours and seeing the love and pride in her eyes as our guests ooh and awe over her culinary magic. I see a Saturday in April when Mom visited with an armful of goodies and feeling happy to spend an afternoon with her as our children bounced around and tired themselves out. I see my Dad sitting on the deck with his body hunched and his fists curled on that fateful Sunday afternoon (he passed away at his home from ALS that night). I see kids’ birthday parties, Easter weekends, Christmases, lavish dinners, movie nights, lazy nights, nights of single malt scotch, paper routes, Halloween costumes, kitchen renovations, VCRs, Dr. Seuss books, stuffed animal cushions, Lego bricks, impromptu BBQs, and sleepovers - memories flood my brain and tears stream down my face as I realize how quickly a lifetime has passed and how fortunate I’ve been to have lived and raised a family here. Life is a gift; and it happens in the blink of an eye. One day you’re changing diapers and the next minute you’re helping your daughter move into residence at university. Yesterday Jaret is running around a poplar tree in the backyard, carefree and cackling with laughter, and today he is a young man working and living in Toronto, and that same poplar tree has grown tall and firm and stands as a symbol of permanence in a world that’s constantly changing. Our home was a centre of gravity, a place of laughter and tears, of growth and celebration, of nurturing and healing, of dreams and disappointments. It bristled with life, vitality, laughter, daily loads of laundry, meals sizzling on the stove and nightly bedtime stories. Where did those years go? What does it all mean? Does anything matter in the end? Today, my children having long since left the nest, this house stands silent and empty. I feel imprisoned by the past, and I don’t belong here anymore. I’ve had my time, and now another family will take up residence and create their own memories within these walls. ‘There’s no place like home,’ said Dorothy in The Wizard Of Oz,’ in one of the most iconic scenes in movie history. ‘There’s no place like home.’ Suddenly, she is transported from a nightmare back to her home in Kansas, safe and comforted by loved ones. Our home has been a special Kansas, too, a welcoming place where everyone, family, friends and strangers alike, felt loved and wanted. As I recall the past and contemplate my future, I realize that the saddest word in the English language is ‘goodbye,’ and we say it so casually to people and places all the time. As painful as it is, I must now say a bittersweet goodbye to the life that I knew, goodbye to a home that was and is no longer, a home that offered warmth and protection and whose memories will sustain my children and I for years to come and provide fond recollections to those who visited us. At the end of the day, we are all just passengers on this strange, wonderful and exhilarating trip of life. We must be grateful for all that we have been given and, as we move on to new pastures, trust that life will unfold as it should. Honour the past, but don’t stop living for today or planning for tomorrow. Tonight, as the skies darken and a gentle breeze ruffles the maple trees, the past is brilliantly alive again and a kaleidoscope of memories come pouring in. There, just inside the patio door, I see Emma as a fifteen year-old, tapping out a song on the piano as the soft notes drift outside into the hot summer air; and over there - Jaret and I are playing mini sticks in the family room and he’s scored on me again while the smell of fried chicken and exotic spices wafts in from the kitchen. And over in the dining room, our extended family is seated for a Christmas feast as playful voices animate the room and we tear into our turkey and dressing. And there, somewhere over the rainbow, I see my dear Lisa smiling with the angels, proud of the beautiful memories she created in a home that she blessed with a lifetime of love, tenderness and joy.

Churchill's Finest Hours

2020-03-31T08:03:00.007-07:00

The Splendid And The Vile, by Eric Larson

Published in 2020 by Crown, an Imprint of Random House

There is a strange irony in reading a book about a nation under siege when, at the moment, the world is under siege from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The nation under siege in this true-life tale is Great Britain, and it’s the start of World War II. Erik Larson’s “The Splendid and the Vile” covers the period from Winston Churchill’s appointment to prime minister in 1940 until the American official entry into the war in December, 1941. This is a period where Britain is fending off continuous naval attacks and aerial bombing from Germany, a period when Churchill’s leadership is put to the test.

Larson dramatizes that leadership by focusing on Churchill’s inner circles, including his family members, close friends, chiefs of stall and fellow politicians, and provides an intimate picture of how this extraordinary man managed to keep his country together during the early years of the war. We see Churchill interacting with his wife, Clementine, with his secretary, John Coleville, with Lord Beaverbrook (Max Aitken), with U.S. president, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, along with dozens of military and government officials. The word that kept popping to mind about Churchill in this story is ‘indefatigable.’ The man was possessed of seemingly superhuman energy and boundless faith. He firmly believed – and inspired his country to believe – that Great Britain would ultimately prevail in this war. He served as a powerful symbol of hope when his country was being beaten and hope was in short supply.

However, as much as Churchill inspired his countrymen to ‘never surrender’ with his words (“…I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat”), he was still a human being, capable of moments of self-doubt and bouts of depression. And he was not averse to feelings of empathy, as is illustrated in this passage of Churchill surveying Bristol after a bombing raid:

“As the train departed, Churchill waved at the crowd from the window, and kept waving until the train was out of sight. Then, reaching for a newspaper, he sat back and raised the paper to mask his tears. ‘They have so much confidence’ he said. ‘It is a grave responsibility.’”

One cannot imagine how this great leader coped with the nightly bombing of London, Coventry, Bristol and other cities, night after night, month after month. His country was losing the war, and losing it badly, and yet his determination never wavered.

One of the techniques that Larson uses to great effect in this story is bringing the German perspective to life. Throughout the German bombing raids, and periods in between, we see the stratagems of Hitler, Hermann Göring (commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe), Joseph Goebbels (Minister of Propaganda), Adolph Galland (German flying ace), and other key figures in the German military. Using diary entries and other documents, the words of the German military leaders come to life and add a thrilling element to this narrative.

Reading about a man who was so right for his time, readers will naturally look for examples of Churchill-type leadership today, during the current global health crisis. Where are the true leaders who will inspire us to persevere? Where are the words of hope and faith that will make nations fight on and believe that better days lie ahead?

“The Splendid and the Vile” is essentially a story about leadership in a time of crisis. It’s a story about the thoughts and actions of a single man and how he used his incredible gifts to inspire a nation to keep fighting and never give up. Indeed, Larson has done a splendid job showing us what true leadership looks like from the inside.

My European Travelogue - London to Thessaloniki (1982)

2019-11-20T07:30:00.000-08:00

I am pleased to report that I have self-published my first e-book on Amazon. The book is called 'My European Travelogue: From London to Thessaloniki (1982),' and it's a series of diary entries and photos from a solo cycling trip I took through England and Europe in 1982. Thirty-seven years after the fact - it's never too late to become a first time published author.

My European Travelogue is free to read if you subscribe to Amazon's Kindle Unlimited service. For those who don't have Kindle Unlimited, the cost of the book is $4.62 Canadian. Here's a link to my book on Amazon.ca.

The tools available for self-publishing on Amazon are straightforward and easy to use. I would recommend this platform for any would-be authors looking to self-publish their work.

Running To Feel Alive

2019-02-14T06:17:00.002-08:00

"Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own; sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction." - William James

On a chilly Saturday morning, about a year ago, I met two members of a local running group called Run Georgina for the first time, and I joined them on a run. At the time, I recalled the old Groucho Max maxim: "I would never want to belong to a club that would have me as a member."

Actually, never having joined a running group before, I didn’t know what to expect. I was unsure if my athletic performance would measure up.

Fortunately, the two Run Georgina members made me feel welcome. They accommodated my slow pace and even stopped several times so that I could catch my breath. On that first run, we completed a 10 km route along Lake Drive in Jackson’s Point. I have been a runner for more than 15 years and have had great running partners, but running with a group was a different experience altogether, and it felt good.

Throughout the winter and spring of 2018, one group run led to another, and another. Over the past year, I have participated in more than 160 group runs and met other members of Run Georgina, some of whom have become close friends. We have run in all seasons, in single-track forests, on ice-covered lakes, in the pouring rain and in the sweltering heat. There is something empowering about being outdoors and running with friends – it produces a sense of community and belonging, and all of life’s problems seem to fade away.

Reflecting on the past year, I am proud to say that Run Georgina has become like my second family, and I'm grateful to be part of such a congenial bunch. The group has inspired me to improve my running fitness beyond what I thought possible - to the point where I achieved a PB at a half marathon last October (2:05). Plus, I’ve registered for my first 30 km race (Around the Bay) in March and my first marathon in Toronto, in May. I'm not saying this to boast, but to share with others the benefits of stepping out and getting involved. Making a change in your life literally starts with taking that first step and, in this case, taking it with fellow runners has made the journey incredibly fun and enjoyable.

Starting a new venture or stepping outside your comfort zone can be scary. But, never let fear, apathy or age stand in your way: I'll be 60 this year, and I’ve never been fitter in my life. I’m looking forward to achieving new running milestones and helping others achieve theirs in the months and years ahead. Consistent running produces many positive benefits for one's mental and physical health. In my case, increasing the frequency, distance and intensity of my runs (and being part of a running community) has helped me cope with difficult personal circumstances, enriched my life immeasurably and given me a deeper appreciation for the sport.

Stacey Allison, the first female American climber to summit Mount Everest, once said, “You find your talent, and see how far it will take you. You do what makes you feel the most alive.” As you improve as a runner, and enjoy the fresh air, the beautiful surroundings and the fellowship of other runners, it will make you feel more alive.

For solo runners who have never run with others before, or who have done so sparingly, I urge you to make the effort to join a local running group. If you are new to the sport, consider registering for a running clinic in your area. You will form new friendships, enhance your health and enjoy the benefits of belonging to a wonderful and supportive community.

Last, but not least, a heartfelt thank you to three members of Run Georgina, in particular: Celine Tallian for her inspiration, encouragement and companionship; to Mike Bedley for his mentorship, feedback and wisdom; and to Mike Carroll for his kindness, humour and friendship; and to the other members of the group whom I’ve had to pleasure of befriending and running with over the past 12 months and who have encouraged me to keep reaching for the stars: Sue Noel, Valerie Garcia, Lorinda Mundy, Roger Mundy, Jason Girvan, Diana Scheddin, Alex Cebrynski, Erin Eastman, Dwayne Rogers, Andrew Rae, Robin Brunet, Gillian Hanlon, Robert Marinzel, Blair Aeiou-y, Sandi Porter-Thornton, Jeremy McLeod, Jeff Kloosterman, Lisa Groves Leask, Nathan Liss, Amy McIntyre, Sorin Petri, Barbara Wojdylo-Prud'homme, Tom Wilson, Ian Barron, Jim Willett, Esther Burger, MC Pace and Judy Breadner Colley.

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Operation Mincemeat: a masterstroke of intelligence and deception

2016-02-21T10:17:00.001-08:00

Operation Mincemeat: How A Dead Man And A Bizarre Plan Fooled the Nazis And Assured An Allied Victory

By Ben Macintyre

Published in the U.S. by Broadway Paperbacks, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Random House, Inc.

In 1943, two British naval officers devised an improbable plan to fool Adolph Hitler and the Nazis, a plan so bold and audacious that it could never get approved, let alone pulled off.

Except the plan was approved by Winston Churchill and General Dwight Eisenhower and, against all odds, it succeeded beyond the wildest expectations of many. It's widely believed that the implementation of this ingenious plan succeeded in altering the course of World War Two.

The true story of how the British and Americans deceived the Germans is told in Ben Macintyre's thrilling book, "Operation Mincemeat" (an earlier book about the events, The Man Who Never Was, was published in 1954 and it quickly became a best seller; a movie of the same name was released in 1956).

The plan was to create a fake identity of a purported British airman and arrange for the body to wash ashore in neutral Spain. The dead body would contain official documents confirming Allied plans to launch a surprise attack on Greece, when the actual attack would take place in Sicily. If the Germans believed that an attack on Greece was imminent, it would strengthen its resources in that area and leave southern Italy relatively exposed. At this point in the war, the Axis powers held an iron grip on Europe; the Allies needed a weakly-defended entry point in which to launch an assault, which would aid them in eventually liberating Europe.

For the plan to work, an extraordinary degree of luck and good fortune had to play into the Allied hands. In Spain, the Nazis had a vast network of spies and informants working in that country, and many of these agents needed to believe the ruse and pass false information up the chain of command. The opportunities for error were enormous. It's interesting to note the various forms of communication that were employed in fabricating this ingenious hoax - including letters, memos, diaries, newspapers, and good old-fashioned rumour and gossip.

Macintyre describes the lives, backgrounds and motivations of all participants with a superb sense of pacing and detail. At times, Operation Mincemeat reads like a thriller with sudden plot twists and mounting suspense. No detail is overlooked, from the intricate planning and choosing of a body to creating a fake identity and transporting the body to the coast of Spain. It's no accident that Ian Fleming (creator of the James Bond series) and Alan Hillgarth (an adventure novelist) were among the officers who took part in the ploy.

Here, Macintyre sums up how a single, simple idea took shape and wound up changing the course of history:

"Amateur, unpublished novelists, the framers of Operation Mincemeat, dreamed up the most unlikely concatenation of events, rendered them believable, and sent them off to war, changing reality throughout lateral thinking and proving that it is possible to win a battle fought in the mind, from behind a desk, and from beyond the grave."

"OperationMincemeat" is an incredible story about an incredible chapter in the history of World War Two, and I give it two thumbs up.

Fitzgerald's tragic tale of wasted days and wasted nights

2016-01-06T09:24:00.000-08:00

The Beautiful and Damned

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

First Vintage Classics Edition, August 2010 (Originally published in hardcover in the U.S. by Charles Scribner's Sons in 1922)

The protagonist of F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Beautiful and Damned" is Anthony Patch, an intelligent, Harvard-educated young man with excellent prospects and a bright future. The year is 1913, and America is on the cusp of a brand new era that includes automobiles, moving pictures and exciting new industries. But Anthony has a problem: a stupendous lack of ambition and a refusal to engage in any form of purposeful work.

"The Beautiful and Damned" tells the tragic story of Anthony Patch and his attractive, socialite wife, Gloria, over an eight-year period beginning when Anthony returns from Europe to be near his ailing grandfather, Adam Patch. Adam is a respected industrialist worth millions who disapproves of Anthony's life choices and urges his grandson to stop dilly-dallying around and establish a career.

Anthony does make half-hearted attempts to find employment and to join the workforce, but he is easily bored and soon quits any so-called 'real' jobs. If young Anthony holds any aspirations for a career, it's to become a journalist/writer, but the actual work and effort required in becoming a writer is far beyond his grasp and desires.

During the span of the novel, Anthony and Gloria manage to live a life of complete debauchery, drinking and partying to excess almost daily, with a cheerful disdain for those who have to work for a living. The one consistent theme in the couples' life is their capacity for living on a small inheritance left by Anthony's mother, an inheritance that is gradually being squandered.

As their financial circumstances worsen, they are desperate for Anthony's grandfather to die, whereupon Anthony will inherit millions. But when the grandfather finally does die, the couple are mortified to discover that Anthony has been excluded from the will (except for a meager inheritance), and they suddenly find themselves weighing three unpleasant options - contesting the will in court, finding employment, or going broke.

Both Anthony and Gloria are doomed figures in "The Beautiful and Damned." Especially Gloria who grew up believing that her charm and beauty would ensure a rich and happy life. The gradual deterioration of Gloria's beauty coincides with the strains in her marriage and the couples' growing financial misfortunes. Fitzgerald portrays Gloria as a woman trapped by her beauty, by her husband, and by her grand illusions of herself.

A rare moment of true happiness and freedom occurs when she flees after the sexual advances of a stranger at a party at her home. Here is Gloria, having escaped the party, sitting on a railway plank in the rain:

"The oppression was lifted now - the tree-tops below her were rocking the young starlight to a haunted doze. She stretched out her arms with a gesture of freedom. This was what she had wanted, to stand alone where it was high and cool...She had thought she would never feel so young again, but this was her night, her world. Triumphantly she laughed as she left the plank, and reaching the wooden platform flung herself down happily beside an iron roof-post."

As readers, we disapprove of the lives of Anthony and Gloria and their endless pursuit of money, and the shallowness of their characters, but Fitzgerald more than makes up for his characters' deficiencies with prose that glitters like jewellery, and his ability to portray New York high society in the early 20th century with such flair.

The ending of "The Beautiful and Damned" wasn't what I was expecting, which speaks to Fitzgerald's narrative skills in keeping readers guessing and his ability to offer delightful surprises - right up until the end.

A Song for Steve

2015-12-29T13:03:00.003-08:00

My dear cousin and best friend, Steve, passed away on a recent October morning, one month shy of his fifty-seventh birthday. I visited Steve a few times during the final months of his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive and fatal motor neuron disease that has taken the lives of five of my family members.

As the inevitable end drew near for Steve, I found myself reflecting on the years that we spent together growing up in Scarborough, Ontario, and the unforgettable adventures of our youth. We played little league baseball and road hockey together. We were in the same Boy Scout troop and spent hours playing in the ravine across the street from where he lived.

In our mid-teens, we both bought our first cars (Steve's was a candy apple red Chevy Nova, mine a sleek Pontiac Beaumont), which was like a rite of passage and a ticket to freedom. To help pay for gas and insurance, we both worked at a local gas station, and the stunts we pulled during that period gave new meaning to the phrase 'misspent youth.'

By the time we hit our late teens, we hung out and did some travelling together (Florida, Virginia Beach), but we also started to develop different interests. Steve attended Centennial College and was eager to pursue a career in his chosen field, while I spent my early twenties writing poetry and travelling through Europe.

One thing that united us - from childhood until middle age - was music. During our teens, we spent endless hours listening to and discussing our favourite bands: Queen, Supertramp, Bruce Springsteen, Alice Cooper, Led Zeppelin, Genesis, Chicago, Peter Frampton, The Alan Parsons Project, and many more. The 1970s and early 1980s were a golden age for experimental rock and pop music and it gave rise to dozens of classic songs and albums. Steve always got a thrill out of discovering new artists and he loved sharing these treasures with his friends.

Steve had a special ear for lyrics and was drawn to songs that told stories. He introduced me to such classics as Harry Chapin's "Taxi," Billy Joel's "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" and Bread's "Everything I Own." He once asked me to listen to the words of an obscure song by Styx called "This Old Man," which spoke about the dignity of work and how you shouldn't be afraid to express feelings of love for others. Indeed, this was a pretty mature theme for a 20 year old kid to understand.

Another time, Steve urged me to buy an album by an artist with the unlikely name of Meatloaf. So, we rushed over to the record store and I bought Meatloaf's "Bat Out Of Hell" album. We cranked the volume on his stereo and played it over and over until the grooves wore out. A few months later, Steve and I got a chance to see Meatloaf perform at Massey Hall in Toronto; it was one of the most memorable concerts of my life.

It is those memories of enjoying music together that has been such a comfort to me, in the months leading up to - and after - Steve's passing. I'll put on a song that reminds me of a moment from our past, be it the Scout trip where Steve tossed an unopened can of pork 'n beans onto a roaring bonfire, Steve driving us in his mother's car to Virginia Beach or Steve briefly piloting a Cessna as we flew over the cornfields of Markham. My wife asks why I keep playing songs that remind me of Steve and that make me so sad. Yes, these songs evoke feelings of sadness but they are also a way of connecting to the past and keeping it alive.

We often hear that a picture is worth a thousand words, but music can be just as powerful in connecting the past with the present. Songs like "Candy's Room" by Bruce Springsteen, "Holdin' On To Yesterday" by Ambrosia and "Do You Feel Like We Do" by Peter Frampton remind me of where Steve and I were at a given time. Listening to these musical gems, four decades later, is a way of holding onto Steve and reliving our youth.

One time, Steve and I were driving to Orillia, and the Bee Gees' "Tragedy" came on the radio. Steve thought the song sounded cheesy, but that didn't stop him from belting out the lyrics, "When the feeling's gone and you can't go on / It's tragedy..." in a high-pitched falsetto as he worked an invisible mic. Every time I hear that song, I laugh and think of Steve's exaggerated rendition.

At that time - we were both 20 - we didn't have a care in the world. We were just two guys cruising in my car and enjoying a moment that would become part of our shared experiences. All those years ago, Steve could not have imagined the special place those songs and moments would one day hold in the heart of a cousin whose grief today is beyond words. I'm sure there is a song in there somewhere, and when I hear it, I'll be reminded of the great man and friend that Steve was, and I'll be the first to tell others, That's a song for Steve.

Heat and hilarity in Bourdain's kitchens

2015-09-11T12:28:00.001-07:00

Kitchen Confidential, Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

By Anthony Bourdain

Published by Bloomsbury Publishing, paperback edition 2001

There are certain occupations that have always seemed so foreign to me that I've never been able to grasp why or how people are drawn to them. Cooking is one.

AnthonyBourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" dispels some of the mysteries of the culinary profession and answers some of my longstanding curiosities about what goes on inside restaurant kitchens. This amusing book - later made into a short-lived TV series starring Bradley Cooper - is a rambling memoir about Bourdain's first 25 years in the restaurant industry, written in a style that is brash, hilarious, and honest.

"Kitchen Confidential" starts with Bourdain's early fascination with food and follows his apprenticeship to becoming a respected, versatile and productive cook/chef in New York. As a young boy, while on a cruise ship with his family, Bourdain was served Vichyssoise for the first time and was totally blown away that a soup could be served cold and taste so delicious. Through his teen years, he continued to feed his appetite for all things food related and wound up studying at the famed Culinary Institute of America (CIA), a topic to which he devotes an entire chapter.

After graduating from CIA, Bordain's apprenticeship in the culinary arts began in earnest. Throughout his twenties and thirties, he bounced around New England and New York, working in an assortment of restaurants, from greasy spoons to high-end dining establishments, such as the Rainbow Room at the Rockefeller Centre. During these years, Bordain honed his chops and encountered a motley crew of characters who provide amusing fodder for his adventures in the kitchen.

His recollections of these colourful cooks, sou-chefs, master chefs, restaurant owners and busboys are told with frankness and insouciance. One of the most memorable characters is Bigfoot, a pseudonym for a legendary restaurant owner whom Bourdain worked for and who served as a mentor to him.

"He [Bigfoot], more than anyone else I encountered in my professional life, transformed me from a bright but druggie fuck-up into a serious, capable and responsible chef. He made me a leader, the combination of good-guy bad-guy the job requires. He's the reason I am never off sick, go to sleep every night running tomorrow's prep lists and menus through my mind."

I also enjoyed the story about Adam, a bread baker who regularly gets under the skin of his colleagues. "He may be the enemy of polite society," Bourdain writes, "a menace to any happy kitchen, a security risk and a potential serial killer, but the man can bake.... His bread and his pizza crust are simply divine." The author describes how out-of-control Adam's life is in all aspects and how in awe he is of the man's God-given talent when it comes to baking bread.

What makes "Kitchen Confidential" such a compelling read is Bordain's pull-no-punches writing style, his acerbic voice and his sardonic wit. Here he describes a period in which he managed a kitchen for someone nicknamed The Shadow in an Italian restaurant in New York:

"But I was off dope now...and comfortably sedated by methadone, I felt free to visit the service bar numerous times a night, so that I could pack my nose with cocaine. This gave me that lovably psychotic edge so useful for mood swings, erratic bursts of rage, and the serious business of canning people, thus saving my master money."

For years, Bourdain indulged in a variety of recreational substances, all the while managing to perfect his craft, expand his knowledge of the restaurant business and manage kitchens, both large and small, with workmanlike efficiency and flair. Cooking is clearly in Bordain's genes and his passion for food and cooking is plainly evident throughout this rollicking tale.

Bottom line on "Kitchen Confidential" is that it provides readers with a blunt portrait of the personalities and behind-the-scenes work that occurs inside restaurant kitchens. Although preparing food remains a source of mystery to me, and probably always will, "Kitchen Confidential" has shed a morsel of light on an activity that is an essential part of our daily lives.