The One That Got Away


Not Quite a Fish Story

Fishing enthusiasts seem, universally, to have a story about a mighty fish that they almost landed. I have an epic science fiction novel. I've been trying to land it, off and on, for decades.

When I was twenty-one, I participated in the Katimavik, a Canadian youth program. I spent three months each in three different parts of Canada. It was a great experience. In Cape Breton we were building the stonewall foundation and preparing the logs for a log cabin. The previous group had cleared the site and gathered the stones. Future groups would finish the house.

The next three months were spent in northwestern Alberta tearing down the old community hall and salvaging the material. These were the winter months. Yes, it was a dry cold, but when you’re working on a deconstruction site in 30 below weather, that’s not a big comfort. When it got too cold, we were put to work in the new community hall cleaning up. The guys got to stack chairs and fold tables. I was given a mountain of dirty ashtrays to wash.

I’m not a smoker, but my parents were. At home, I would do any chore rather than clean ashtrays. The smell turns my stomach. My only recourse was to send my mind elsewhere while I worked. I imagined being visited by a tall, handsome, pointy-eared alien who needed to whisk me away to save the universe. It was dangerous work but I agreed to the task immediately...on condition that he finish my job with the ashtrays.  While he washed (in my imagination) I filled in the gaps of my makeshift story.

It turned into the epic novel I’ve yet to finish, but never given up on.

I missed my last post date because of Bell's Palsy, therefore I'll just say that the next post is planned for Monday 4 March and it will be about Ghost Writer's relaunch. Meanwhile, Like, Follow & Share me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/alisonbruce.books
I'm also on Twitter @alisonebruce... but not as much. Meanwhile...

Print or electronic books?
Why? 
And does it make a difference where and when you are reading?








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