I was born in Hanover, Ontario, back in 1952, the eldest of four, two sisters, one brother and enjoyed coming of age during the sometimes turbulent 1960’s. While attending John Diefenbaker Secondary School, I founded the school newspaper, Probe, to cover events at the school but also to offer comment on the changing social scene. I am married to the gracious and lovely Carol McPhail and have a blended family with four children and five grandchildren (so far).
I feel like I have been writing my whole life….but really started during my early teen years by sitting in my bedroom and pouring out my thoughts – using the window sill as a makeshift desk. I started the school newspaper and was always writing, but had no clear vision of where I wanted to go – my guidance counselor was more certain and told me I was a writer – didn’t really believe him.
Ended up working in newspapers after finishing school, but it was sort of an accident and I’ve been doing it ever since. I wrote a few short stories during my twenties, but my first wife didn’t think much of them, so I didn’t work really hard at it. When she and I separated, I bought an old 1918 Underwood typewriter and the words just sort of started to pour out – I was 34 and had discovered my calling in life. I put huge emotion into the short stories I was creating and took to calling them “emotional thoughtscapes”….
Although I have never been successful with mainstream publishers and have yet to obtain the “big contract”, I have had some successes. I have self published five chapbooks of my writing, starting with Memories for Sale in 1991 – all of which sold out and were extremely popular. I have had numerous short stories published in literary magazines around the world, had work nominated for best on the net in 1997 and 1998 and had two stories finish in the top twenty in the highly prestigious Fysh International Short Story Contest. One of my stories has been translated for publication on the Indian subcontinent, while another is currently part of the coursepack at Hofstra University on Long Island, New York.
In addition to literary accomplishments, I have also produced a spoken word CD and participated in a considerable number of live words and music performances throughout Southern Ontario with Canadian singer/songwriter Richard Knechtel. The shows have been extremely popular and have provided an additional venue for my short stories and poetry.
My latest project has been an attempt to create a new type of musical genre combining spoken word and rock music – with the help of some musical friends, I’ve been able to create a 30-minute demo tape and will now attempt to push the project forward. It is in the early stages of development…
I am also a musician of sorts, but regard this as a sort of hobby….started playing the clarinet in the Hanover Town Band when I was four-years-old and switched to the bass guitar when I was about 13 – 1965 and the Beatles had hit and every guy I knew wanted to be in a band. Still playing 44 years later and have great fun doing it and have gotten a real ride out of my somewhat limited bass guitar playing skills.
I am really just a writer and I try to pour as much emotion into my work as possible….all of my work contains simple messages and an honest morality – I believe a writer can change the world and that the pen is indeed mightier than the sword. Art must do good and last through the ages…
In addition to short stories, I have produced two musicals, a play, a serious piece of humanist philosophy, two novels and assorted poetry. I have worked hard at my craft and take my gift as a writer very seriously. For the last seven years, I have operated the on-line newspaper, cktimes.ca, a publication that includes only “good news” and thought-provoking comment. It is an extension of my desire to try to make a positive difference in the world during the brief time I am here.
