The Platinum Ticket by David Beynon

The Platinum Ticket by David Beynon
Shortlisted for The Terry Pratchett Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now First Novel Prize

Saturday 5 June 2010

Things that make me smile...

I love my little town.
I might have mentioned that here before, but it's true.

On Friday the kids were home from school, the weather was perfect and we went downtown.

This is the very centre of my town.


This was taken from the footbridge which runs from Templin Gardens - this place:


 to the opposite side of the river near the old Fergus Market (originally the Beatty Brothers Foundry, now the Fergus Marketplace).(You can see the footbridge in the middle right of this picture)

On the other side of the river here is what was waiting for us:


That's part of our mounted unit that patrols our streets and parks.  I didn't get the constable's name but the horse is an old acquaintance of mine.  His name is Bosco.

On a different note - here's something else that made me smile today.  The best warning label ever on a four gallon container that once held kitty litter:


For some reason, this makes me smile...

Wednesday 2 June 2010

Crossin' the eyes and dottin' the tease

I have been a busy boy.

First - I'll show a few pictures that make me happy.  I can't take much credit for the end results in these ones.  I have often talked about the little park our local Heritage Committee has been spearheading called BT Corner.  Yesterday the good people at the Fergus Horticultural Society and their Dig in the Dirt Crew help bring the park one step closer to completion.

Here's the front entry to the park shown from behind.


Next, just look at all the planting along the western edge of the plaza.


Note the two new trees.  I think they're crab apple trees, but they might be service berry.  The reason I don't know is simply because I wasn't there yesterday.  I really wanted to be, but I was some place better.  Several weeks before there was any thought of planting at the Corner, I had already committed to accompanying my son on a trip to Doon Heritage Crossroads Museum for the annual water festival.

Here's another couple of pictures that make me happy.  These two pictures were taken within seconds of one another and illustrate the difference between boys and girls.  My wife and I have been very careful about not imposing gender specific activities upon the children, but some things seem firmly planted on both the x and the y chromosomes.

Sugar and Spice


















And - Lord of the Flies

Something else that makes me happy is what has been occupying my days.  I have been going through the manuscript of Loremaster.  Page by page - word by word.  



I have been finding repeated works, awkward phrasing, mistakes in continuity, and problems with punctuation.  It is fiddly, exacting detail work and anyone who knows me can tell you that this kind of work drives me nuts.  However, this time I take my editing pen in hand without any reservation - eagerly, in fact.  I want to make sure that Loremaster is the best I can make it with a consistent voice throughout.  I figure about four more days of heavy editing and I'll be there.  

Speaking of which, best get back to it...