Hey. It’s been way, way too long since I posted to this site. Call me negligent. 2018 has started with fireworks, with two literary journals picking up my short stories. I’m currently published in the online lit review, Typishly Literary Journal. It’s a hotspot for well-written, cutting-edge lit porn (http://typishly.com/2018/01/19/so-im-dating-a-sponge-pocket/).

Also, I have a short story coming out in a print Literary Journal, Metonym Literary Journal next month. https://www.metonymjournal.com/blog/. Check it out!

And finally, I promise to try to post some work here and keep up with my writing obligations. Cheers, and welcome to the new year!

The spectacularly versatile Gabrielle Rose carried the banner for TWO 4 ONE as she pulled down the honours for Best Female in a Supporting Role at the 2015 Leo Awards Ceremony last week.
Gabrielle impressed her peers and jurors with her performance as the mother of pregnant transgendered Adam (Gavin Crawford) and proudly projected the essence of the film’s message to all who would listen. Gabrielle, as soon-to-be Gramma Franny rolled with the punches and refused to be set back by expectations imposed by what appeared to be an inflexible society. She saw the best possible version of those around her and when informed of Adam’s allegedly toxic peer group, insisted “you don’t give people enough credit.”
Armed with an enlightened script by Maureen Bradley, Gabrielle sparkled with all the glitter we’d like to have when faced with the twists and turns of real life. During the filming TWO 4 ONE, I had the privilege of watching Gabrielle demonstrate good nature, passion, and professionalism. She is a class act and a pleasure to work with. Bravo Gabrielle!

The web series pilot Fear or Favour is now available for viewing on VIMEO! I worked as lead writer for this project at the University of Victoria under the brilliant stewardship of the mega-talented Maureen Bradley.
To check it out, click: https://vimeo.com/124458282

I know, it is part of life. I get that. And it is typically a large part of a writer’s life. I get that too. Every writer you’ve ever heard of was rejected and rejected and rejected before working through a small publication, then a larger one, and then a big book deal. Except for the rare overnight success, most of whom had enough rejections to paper a small room before being suddenly discovered.
Me, I work in the garden.
It seems a better reaction than drinking, howling down a country lane on a fast Ducati, or skinning my knuckles in the garage. I save those activities for happy times.
The thing is, I’m starting to like gardening. You can anticipate my dilemma.
Today Stanford University announced the 2015 Stegner Fellows and I wasn’t on the list. I had already scoped out rental units in Palo Alto. I figured a small seasonal unit with use of garage space and easy access to the twisty country lanes east of the Bay City would do the trick. I’d bring an air cooled carbureted Duc from back in the day- or maybe find a long forgotten one in a weather-beaten barn. I’d buy one of those new fangled Apple Macbooks that weigh 2 pounds and slip into a neoprene pouch slung over my shoulder. I’d hit the twisties and then find a quiet pub off the main drag. And with a warm stout and the white noise of Northern California subculture I’d write the great Canadian/American novel. I’d retune the carburetors another day.
But I wasn’t on the list.
I know, 1,700/1 isn’t great odds (applicants/awards). But I passed ambition 101 and I thought I was in.
So today I didn’t ride my bike, work in the garage, or nurse a beer through the character study of my latest protagonist. But the sun is shining, the price of Apple products is predictably falling, and well, the garden looks great.

TWO 4 ONE is playing at the Vic Theatre this month from April 10 through April 13. If you haven’t seen it, give it a shot. It won awards at the Victoria Film Festival, some Actra awards, and it played to great reviews at Cincenta and at several other film festivals. See my way cool Ducati, relish the lighting, the superb scenery, and the ravishing screenplay and direction. A nice way to spend an evening. Oh, bring your friends and be ready to engage in relevant discussion afterward! And watch for me in the credits (four times!)

Two 4 One took home honours at the Victoria Film Festival last weekend. Maureen Bradley (writer, director, editor), Daniel Hogg (producer), and Amy Belling (director of cinematography) were on stage for Q & A sessions after the two sold-out shows. Audience response was spectacular and the film won Best Canadian Feature Length Film! Congrats to all. For my part I wish to add that the cast and crew worked tirelessly through the adversity of a super-tight shooting schedule and some pretty wicked weather to get the job done. The group came together as a cohesive whole and I will long remember the experience as invigorating and uplifting. Thank you Maureen. If you missed it, Two 4 One will be showing at Cinecenta on March 24 and 25. Hope to see you there.
On a more sombre note, I did not win the 2014 3-Day Novel contest. It is a credit to the quality of A Decent Calling that I thought the book had a chance. Given my success at the contest last year, I know what it takes to win and I put my all into the most recent submission. Perhaps I’ll release excerpts of it here. It’s a solid novella and perhaps only the fourth fictional account of life in law school released in the past forty years (The Paper Chase, Legally Blonde, The Faculty Club).

Buy at ticket- hell, buy two- it’s Valentines Day!
Two 4 One is premiering February 14 at 6:30 pm at the Odeon Downtown for the Victoria Film Festival.
The film introduces the previously infamous 1970 Ducati Scrambler (on the eve of Ducati releasing the new for 2015 retro Scrambler!) and features cameo appearances by Zoe, Cruiser, Nigel and me (as the paperboy!). I’m credited with Grip and Electrics and Key Grip for the second unit and get special mention for driving the big truck and taking it home at night. My neighbours have been comp’ed tickets!
More importantly, it’s a terrific film by accomplished Victoria filmmaker Maureen Bradley, features a wonderful cast including Gavin Crawford (This Hour Has 22 Minutes) and the fabulous Naomi Snieckus and Gabrielle Rose.
It’s fun, important, and burning up the critics’ notepads!
Hope to see you there.

I can write. I’ve written two novels, two novellas, three plays, a short graphic novel, half a thousand reasoned legal decisions, and the words being circulated in official documents by three levels of government. I’ve won awards, been published, and been produced.
Here’s the thing: I want to write fiction. More novels. More novellas. And in order to write, I have to earn a living by writing. But without an agent, I have to spend time selling my stuff. I can’t write and sell stuff at the same time.
Guess how many literary agents there are in Canada who work with literary fiction? Maybe a dozen. And how many prospective writers? Yeah. They’re busy. Try to get their attention.
SuperNova
A glimpse into the lives of the rich and famous, sailing and living aboard the most beautiful sailing yacht in the world- a deeply flawed yacht that tries to kill her crew- a yacht sailed by eight professional sailors and a middle-aged accountant who’s afraid of the water. Come aboard and experience the joy of sailing. Come aboard for the ride of your life. Come aboard and succumb to your deepest darkest fears.
But wait! You can’t come. You won’t share the legendary burnt offerings of Dhara, ship’s chef and onboard siren. Or P-2 the Aussie enforcer who fends off all comers in the bar in Faial. Or Luciano the child-like prodigy who is suffering from existential angst. Or the Newfie Olympian that nobody can understand. You can’t come because you can’t buy this book. You can’t buy it because I don’t have an agent who can find this story a home at a publishing house of some repute.
SuperNova
A book that can sell itself. A sailing book for people who like to read, people who drop the hook and scan their meager sea-going bookshelves for the same-old-same-old, people who would deep-six their brass monkeys for a good sea-going tale. You know how many sailors there are in this country? Divide that number by six and you have the number of readers per decent contemporary seafaring adventure story. Know a literary agent? Mention this information. And don’t forget to ask for a finder’s fee! Money in the bank. Money in the bank. The line starts from the right.