Wow! It’s October 7th. already. The changing colors of tree leaves, cooler mornings and shorter days, confirms the calendar. Fall is indeed happening, but I feel a bit like Fred, a character in my novel The White Limousine – like I stepped into a time machine at the beginning of summer and was transported to today. I have vivid memories of places and events from summer. I think they’re all real – but are they? Were they just dreams or a false memories? Maybe I’ve been reading too much Steven King. Speaking of The King of the horror genre, I’m just finishing one of his new releases ‘Joyland’. I’ll share my thoughts on that book in a future post.
One of my more recent memories, which I’m sure was real, was a trip to Lethbridge in Southern Alberta. Lethbridge is my hometown, and over the past few years, I’ve been back many times. I’ve become re-acquainted with my old digs. Lethbridge is a vibrant, modern city, but many of the landmarks of my youth; the big bridge, the clock tower downtown, the main library, the train station, the modest house where I grew up are all still intact, and the beauty of the coulees and the Oldman river valley is timeless. I still feel a strong sense of connection and belonging amid the many changes.
September 20th, 2015 was a beautiful, sunny day, a perfect day for Lethbridge’s fifth annual Word On The Street Book and Magazine Festival. The festival evolved from the Toronto Book and Magazine Fair, becoming Word on the Street in 1994. Word On The Street Festivals are now held in seven cities across Canada. Sponsored by the Lethbridge Public Library, the event provides authors with an opportunity to showcase their work, meet and talk with other writers, take in a variety of talks and workshops and hopefully sell a few books. My table display featuring The White Limousine garnered considerable attention. The experience was a memorable success and one I hope to repeat again next year. By then, my next novel, The Douglas Document – Betrayal, will also be on display, but it will be available long before then. Stay tuned!
John R. Paterson, Author 