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Category: Biographical Info

The joys of getting older

The joys of getting older

Image by Vilius Kukanauskas from Pixabay As my 68th birthday looms on the horizon like a cake topped with far too many candles (seriously, do fire extinguishers come as standard with those things now?), I’ve found myself reflecting on the curious passage of time. At least, I assume that’s what we’re supposed to do as a milestone birthday approaches, right? Reflect? Contemplate? Ponder the mysteries of life? I’ll get right on that… after I’ve spent an hour or two feeling sorry for myself,…

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Thoughts on Marriage

Thoughts on Marriage

Today is the forty-eight anniversary of my marriage. My wife and I are at the stage of our union where we are both retired and satisfied with our lives. I am, at least, and I believe she is also. That’s not to say that we’re content to sit on our duffs and let the world go by. We still have hopes and dreams that won’t come to pass by themselves. She’s given me four beautiful children, who have graced us with…

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Miscellaneous Monday – Random Thoughts on the Future

Miscellaneous Monday – Random Thoughts on the Future

Well, it seems I am back. We had a bout of sickness in the family last month (my wife got hit with both the flu then Covid) and I have not really had the energy or interest in blogging. Some of it I will put down to just a general sense of malaise. It must be January, which for a time was positively Arctic where I live. Now that we are back into decent temperatures for the moment and I…

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Funny Friday – Samuel Johnson Edition

Funny Friday – Samuel Johnson Edition

While the name Samuel Johnson might not be a household name in today’s world, he was a prolific and well-known writer in 18th century England. Johnson lived from 1709 to 1784, and wrote in many genres, including plays, poetry, essays, sermons, and literary criticism. His works were so popular that the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography refers to him as “arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history.” I’ve used quotes from him in my own writing. Today I thought…

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It’s time for a rewrite

It’s time for a rewrite

“Hidden Desires” was one of my first published novels. I had written a short eBook before this, called “The Parson’s Rescue”, but this was my attempt at creating a full length story. I slaved over it for a few months, worrying over the plot, the phrasing, the correct vernacular, etc. Upon finishing the first draft, I ferociously edited, replacing words that weren’t in use in the time period of my story, correcting spelling and punctuation, and everything else I thought necessary….

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My Ten Years in Publishing

My Ten Years in Publishing

Isn’t it funny how time flies? It doesn’t seem like ten years since I published my first book, but I recently passed that milestone. September 1, 2013, was when I published Acting on Faith, my first novel. I’ve come a long way since then, now with more than 50 books published. That journey, and the one in which I am still engaged, has taken my life in a different direction from anything I might have expected. This past summer, I knew…

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A proper celebration

A proper celebration

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada. As with so many times of the year, it arrives ahead of our American friends’ observation of the occasion. (Please don’t take offense, my tongue was firmly in my cheek as I wrote that last sentence.) My eldest sister lives in Utah, so I have a habit of pointing that out to her every year. What is a younger brother for, if not to bother older siblings, of which I have two? In Canada, the…

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A Glimmer of Gold – Self Publishing

A Glimmer of Gold – Self Publishing

I have been a self publisher my entire writing career. It started with my first release back in 2013, and snowballed from there, with a few releases here and there, what I could fit around my day job, until finally I decided to leave that job and become a full time writer. Only once did I submit to a publisher, and that was not accepted. The only things I have ever done that were not self published were audiobooks, which…

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Trivia Thursday-The Dark Side of the Moon

Trivia Thursday-The Dark Side of the Moon

As I have said before, I’m not a huge fan of current musical trends. Call me old and crotchety, but I prefer music with some depth to it and, as far as I’m concerned, there is not much of that to be found today, in any  genre. So why not explore one of the greatest and most influential recordings of all time? I’m referring, of course, to Pink Floyd’s 1973 release, “The Dark Side of the Moon”. Rather than boring…

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Thursday Musings

Thursday Musings

Anyone who knows me well understands that I do not like winter. When I lived in Japan, people would not understand when I told them, given they knew I was from Canada. Being from Canada is exactly what has made me so contemptuous of the colder months. There are some definite benefits to living in a colder climate, such as fewer venomous creatures, less extreme storms and the like, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. Thus, you will…

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