Are you a curmudgeon? by J.C. Kavanagh

 

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including the audio version, click here:
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I've been delving into the infinite realm of human personalities these past couple of weeks. Yes, somewhat existential, I know, but when creating characters for a novel, the author needs to pin down unique personalities so they are credibly defined to the reader. A successful author creates a kinship, so to speak, between the reader and the characters on the page.

Having said that, and without putting yourself into an iron-clad character 'cage,' if you could place yourself or people you know into a personality category, would you/they be one of the:

• Good ones
• Not-so-good ones
• Fence sitters
• Ass-hats
• Fragile ones
• Arrogant ones
• Kind ones
• Power-driven ones
• Opinionated 'swordsmen/women' who use words as daggers
• None of the above, or,
• A combination of some of the above traits

How about a curmudgeon? Are you one? Do you even know what that means? 

Here's the Webster's Dictionary definition: Curmudgeon: (noun) a bad-tempered, churlish person.

And the Oxford Canadian Dictionary definition: Curmudgeon: (noun) a bad-tempered person.

And then there's my definition: Curmudgeon: (noun) an altruistic person hiding behind a gruff exterior; a person reluctant to display his/her true character in public.

My former boss, I'll call him 'Mr. White,' was a true curmudgeon - my definition. His stern disposition was on full display at work. The fact that he was an expert in his field and in tune with the demands of the company he represented, put him on a pedestal of sorts. Colleagues appreciated the knowledge he willingly, albeit gruffly, shared. Despite this outward disposition, he was greatly respected by his peers and the owners of the companies he dealt with.

Years ago, I began writing an article about Mr. White and his long and successful career with the company. I wanted to refer to him as an 'old curmudgeon' in the article. When I asked him permission to do so, and without informing him that 'my' definition of the word curmudgeon would be included, he gazed at me intently for what seemed like minutes.

Finally, in a begrudging tone, he said "Yes." When staff and customers eventually read the article, all heads nodded in agreement. Mr. White was indeed an 'old curmudgeon.' I don't know what my old boss is up to now, but I do hope he's fulfilling all of his retirement dreams.

In my Twisted Climb trilogy, there are no 'curmudgeons.' You will find some good characters, some not-so-good, a couple of ass-hats, a drama queen and many more unique individuals. Some characters you'll love, others, not so much. However, in my upcoming paranormal novel, entitled "The Deepest Divide," I would definitely describe one of the main characters, Jimmy McQuat, as an old curmudgeon. My definition of course. And in case you're wondering how to pronounce this Scottish surname, it's Ma-koo-et.

Until next time, stay safe and don't forget to tell the ones you love that you love them.

J.C. Kavanagh, author of
The Twisted Climb - A Bright Darkness (Book 3) Best YA Book FINALIST at Critters Readers Poll 2022
AND
The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2) voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada
AND
The Twisted Climb,
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll
Voted Best Local Author, Simcoe County, Ontario, 2021
Novels for teens, young adults and adults young-at-heart
Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh
www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh
Instagram @authorjckavanagh

Hello music lovers- by Lance Chalmers

 

https://bwlpublishing.ca/chalmers-lance/

Your old school beat maker here. Just about to track drums for a friend. He’s going to use the drum track as a backing track for a performing duo. Why would I endeavour to create such a thing you ask? Am I not taking away the potential for a live drummer to play the part? Maybe. I’ve known this friend for 42 years. We played together in a cover band. Given the state of the current music scene, I’m thrilled he’s once again making an effort to get out there and play. Whether it be a duo, full band or solo act. He’s capable of all three. And more. Where he lives, has been subject to the same venue availability as I. Music has taken on a more disposable position with most people. A duo, will be viewed as more a pleasant distraction, akin to that hockey game on the screens everywhere in the venue, or that text conversation people have on their phones sitting right in front of the band, complaining about volume. He’s doing what every smart musician can only do these days. Adapt. My playing these days is split. I track drums from home, and gig just about as much. Which is pale in comparison to pre covid days that saw me gigging every weekend. I could lament? But what for. It’s the past. Time to move on fellas. I still have the drive. Even if it costs more for fuel. I have two gigs this weekend with two different bands. The way I see it? Keeps my chops up for sessions. Or air drumming on my steering wheel driving to work. Teaching drums and guitar. Have a great holiday weekend!

Unearthing Mary: The Research Behind Dancing Mary- by Jay Lang

 

https://bwlpublishing.ca/lang-jay/

When I first heard the story of “Dancing Mary,” it came as little more than a whispered local legend—just another ghost story, one of many that echo around the misty corners of British Columbia’s Comox Valley. But there was something about her tale that wouldn’t let me go. Maybe it was the image of the glowing blue orb seen drifting across Comox Road. Maybe it was the sorrow I felt beneath the surface of the legend—a grief that felt startlingly human.

I wanted to write Dancing Mary. I wanted to understand her.

What began as simple curiosity turned into months of deep, often emotional research. I pored through old newspaper clippings, dug into settler records, and read the fragmented, colonial accounts of the early days in the Comox Valley. Most haunting were the silences—what wasn’t recorded. Mary, a young K’ómoks First Nation woman, had been betrayed and murdered, yet the details of her life had been mostly erased, overshadowed by the sensationalism of her ghost.

So I listened—to local stories, to Indigenous voices, and, I hope, to Mary herself.

Woven into this research was my own personal journey. As I explored Mary’s story, I found myself reflecting on themes of grief, family, and the invisible threads that connect us to place and memory. Writing Dancing Mary became a way of honoring both historical truth and personal healing.

Because Mary wasn’t just a ghost. She was a girl. And she mattered.

To Save or Not To Save

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May is Historic Preservation Month. It is a time for businesses, historical societies, and other organizations to highlight places that have played an important role in our past. Here in Vermont, most of us believe that old homes and neighborhoods embody America’s living history and should be celebrated.

What is it like where you live? Is there a focus on elevating awareness of old homes?  Do your communities rally around them?

On a personal level, I assisted a recently widowed neighbor to move to a new, smaller home after the sudden death of her husband. Oh, the trouble she had culling through her treasured mementoes of a fifty year marriage with her beloved! You may have heard the expression that Vermonters don’t throw anything out? Well, Bill certainly didn’t! From an old train set that he built with a nephew to trunks of costumes from their community theater days, to CD and cassette collections and many ways to play them. And the couple seemed to have at least three sets of every kitchen gadget known to Man— from coffee makers to toasters to ladles!

What did my friend treasure most? Her Bill’s writings…letters, stories, articles. 

What would make your list if you could only keep, say…three precious possessions in your home right now?

May Day Celebrations

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On Saturday, May 3, I celebrated May Day with back-to-back-to-back activities. The day began with sunshine, warmth, and my morning Heritage Walk in Calgary's Tuxedo Park -- my first time leading a Jane's Walk. Forty-three people turned up at our meeting spot in Balmoral Circus Park, which conveniently provided chairs for half of the attendees. 

After my introduction and a discussion of the intersection's history and recent transformation into a park, we set off to explore the other historical sites in the neighbourhood that I had chosen for the setting of my mystery novel, A Killer Whisky. 

The whole walk took 1.5 hours. Highlights included unexpected contributions by walk participants. A woman who grew up in the neighbourhood recalled that the house in the above photo used to be a Scout Hall. She rang the home's doorbell to see if the owners could confirm this. They said they were newcomers but would contact the previous owners and send her more information. 

At our next stop, a surprise for me was a "Sold" sign in front of the blue house in this picture. 

A few weeks earlier, when I'd researched the walk, no sign was there. I had imagined this 1912 house as the residence of my novel's protagonist. A woman in the walking group Googled the real estate listing and found the description boasted that the home was featured in a Jane's Walk. During my research trip, I'd dropped a flyer in the mailbox advising the owners about the upcoming walk. Evidently their real estate agent viewed this as a selling point. 

Between my morning and afternoon walks, I grabbed a burger and fries at a nearby local landmark, Peter's Drive In. After lunch, I repeated my Jane's Walk for 40 new participants. The afternoon walk featured three guest speakers. 

The first speaker was planned. In front of the 1912 commercial building that once housed a branch of the Calgary Public Library, author and literary historian Shaun Hunter spoke about Elaine Catley, a Canadian writer who lived in Tuxedo Park in the 1920s. 

The two other speakers were spontaneous additions. When we discovered an urban planner from the City of Calgary was in the audience, we asked her explain about Heritage Protection laws, which I wasn't familiar with.  

Asia Walker, Urban Planner, and Shaun Hunter added interest and expertise   

Later, a woman who'd gone to Balmoral Bungalow School shared her memories of attending the school that was built to temporarily house students during Calgary's periods of rapid school enrollment. The school is boarded up now, although an application has been made to make it a daycare centre.  

Balmoral Bungalow School 

From the walk, I drove to the Austrian Canadian Cultural Centre for a dinner/dance to celebrate May Day and the Centre's 70th anniversary. May Day, the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, welcomes the summer growing season with the traditional Maypole dance. 

During the day, groups from Western Canada had gathered at the Centre for workshops on Schuhplattler dancing. My sister's German dance club came from Victoria and dressed in dirndl and Lederhosen for the occasion.  

After the workshop presentations, the band continued with polkas. I was tired from my busy day, but couldn't resist hitting the dance floor when the band segued to Elvis' "Blue Suede Shoes." By midnight, I was ready to crash in our hotel room. 

What a fun way to usher in summer. Happy Merry Month of May to you! 

Alphorn players