HAPPENSTANCE

SALMON POOL'S CABIN

I believe that serious writing can open a person’s heart and mind to the universe. In a sense, it’s praying. A connecting with the universe. A sharpening up of perceptions and intuitions. It allows one to see when some events are more than just coincidence and I’ll tell you about some recent happenstances. 

A WING AND A PRAYER

While working on my novel I recorded my daily writing accomplishments or lack of accomplishments in a journal. I filled this book to the brim and needed a new notebook.

​As I’ve mentioned before, I learned that completing a novel can be more than just a huge relief and a sense of accomplishment. It can also drag you kicking and screaming into a different sense of reality. Into depression and a feeling of being lost. Of course, it effects each writer differently. 

FIND THE CENTRE

Over a year ago, when we were planning on making another trip through the Maritime/Quebec worm hole and entering the world of busy, busy, busy, Sue and I visited Value Village in Sydney. We were looking for some suitcases.

​I found a smaller one which I thought would be perfect for Buster. It had a pinkish, bluish, cloth cover and inside, I found by happenstance, that somebody had left one small woman’s stocking, a fully charged pencil and a notebook which was full of fresh white pages. The empty pages just waiting for a wordsmith to write his or her leaden creations. I had found my next journal and the notebook in the Buster suitcase suited me just fine. This I would like to call Happenstance Number One.

CORNEY BROOK TRAIL FALLS

Well, after submitting my novel, I’d also quit writing for a while because I couldn’t get my head to play fair, so my new journal was lying around killing time. Over time, and sometimes over a glass or more of white wine, I returned to the writing of my blogs. At which time I got to crack open my new Buster suitcase notebook. However, because of the busy state of my mind I never really took much of a look at it nor did I give much thought to it’s significance.

BROOK IN SPRING

Then, one day, when I was flailing around attempting to find a reality place mat to plant my feet on, I noticed another happenstance.

This notebook was a special notebook. This Buster suitcase notebook was very timely. Because, you see, when I paid close attention to the book, I saw written on the cover of the little Buster-suitcase-working-journal the words: “THE LORD REPLIED——“WHEN YOU SEE ONLY ONE SET OF FOOTPRINTS, IT WAS THEN THAT I CARRIED YOU.” 

And, when I opened it up, I realized that at the top of every page of this journal was a section of the famous “footprints” written by the unknown author. It was enough to knock my powder blue socks off. 

​This was Happenstance Number Two.    

ICY FISH TEETH

Speaking of universal happenstances, here’s another one as it relates to my unpublished novel. I’ll call it Happenstance Number Three.

​Sue, my partner, has been my staunchest writing supporter. Now, I have quite a list of writing supporters and some of them have been wonderful. However, nobody can top Sue! She’s been 24/7.

ICY MOUNTAIN FOREST

So, one evening, as I was wandering around in my state of chaotic creativity, I began to poke around in my wee office. I sat down and gazed at all the paper that I’d filled with stories and attempts at novels. I began to feel sad for poor little Larry. Began to think that there was some need for poor little Larry to be shown some respect. That my writing needed to be honoured. 

BEAUTY WE OFTEN DON'T SEE

That moment is when I decided that my last draft up to now of my novel should be more than a digital smudge mark. It should be tangible. I should be able to touch, taste, smell and see my work. So, I paid a printer to print out the multitudinous number of pages.

A few weeks later, Sue, Buster and I drove to Port Hawkesbury to meet with Kyle Mcphee, whom I’d commissioned to make a leather cover for my novel. 

​I’m happy to say that Kyle made a wonderful cover and can be reached at [email protected]

OUR MIDDLE RIVER FOX

Now, here’s the universal happenstance of this whole situation.

​After talking to Kyle and discussing what kind of leather cover I wanted, I left his shop. It’s located in the old customs house/post office/ doctor’s office.

IN FRONT OF OLD CUSTOM HOUSE

When I stepped outside I saw Sue standing on the sidewalk with Buster. She was excited about something and wanted to show me what it was. Even Buster was wagging his tail in a peculiar, but excited way.

BUSTER WANTS IN

They led me down the street to the front of the workshop. And there it was. Drum roll please. My novel cover was being made at the historical ‘BAIN’S CORNER’. Bain is Sue’s last name.

Now ain’t that a rather happenstance place to give my novel a firm place to plant it’s feet?

​As mentioned earlier this was Happenstance Number Three, but who’s counting. Eh?

SALMON POOLS TRAIL