Delays, distractions and a revival

Even after the paid edits in 2016, I lost the drive to resuscitate the novel for a small print run in 2023. I felt that it served its purpose as a creative outlet while I learned to manage PTSD symptoms since the life-altering incident in 2003. 

In 2024, I removed the novel's and Flo's presence from Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Smashwords and was ready to enter a quiet retirement with less ambitious creative activities. 

Enter 2025 which brought a random inquiry through email from an interested party searching for a copy of the novel. After confirming real life existence and exchanging polite emails about writing and publishing, I have been converting chapter files from Microsoft Word to PDF, one by one. I can't bring myself to confirm each change by the editor (my Ma. Eng. Lit. daughter). I trust her judgement so I just approved all changes before converting and sharing with the audience of one. I cannot read the details of each chapter because I get misty-eyed when revisiting the reactions between Father Gio and Sera. 

Even with the glowing and somewhat obligatory reviews from family and friends who read The Year of the Rabbit after it was published in 2011, it's a heartwarming feeling that a total stranger has sought out your story, ready to consume one chapter at a time then sharing personal reactions through email. 

This has been an interesting twist as we enter the Year of the Wood Snake this month. 

Thanks for following along. 

T

You CAN go home again

I recently had a sentimental journey to my old home town.


We descended on Parry Sound, Ontario aka Seguin Sound, that fictitious small town in The Year of the Rabbit.

My siblings, their significant others and offspring were scheduled to gather for our family reunion.  My oldest son and I prepared well with a day on each side of the weekend to allow for and recover from travel.

Sadly, the passenger trains don't stop there as much anymore.  We took the train from Ottawa to Toronto then connected by bus. 

We played tourist in my old home town. A lot has changed in 30 years. I reacquainted myself with some of the sites that inspired settings in the Novel. We also got in a visit with a dear, old friend. 

I captured many photographs of my childhood neighbourhood, the nearby Seguin River and that famous CPR train trestle. If you read the novel, you will know that trains played a major role. They passed by many times a day and night blowing their loud whistles, sometimes stopping to bring visitors and at other times, taking people away. 

We walked to many places within good distance of the lovely Bed and Breakfast on the rich side of town. As you can see from this building mural beside the Seguin River, logging was a big part of Parry Sound's beginnings.

After a rainy Sunday walking tour to tower hill and around the old neighbourhood, we ate a warm lunch in the restaurant that inspired the Red Hare.

I was compelled to have a bowl of chicken wonton soup - for old time's sake.

 
The soup, the river and the passing trains wrapped me in the good, fuzzy memories of my old town. Thankfully, I didn't bump into any old flames or undesirable characters while I was there.  

As stated in the opening pages of the Novel, the reference to any characters that resemble people living or dead is purely coincidental.  Some characters may be a blend of individuals I encountered in my early life.

I haven't heard any complaints via email or in the reader feedback comments.  Maybe enough people haven't read the novel yet. So until they do, there is no worry of going home again.


Thanks for dropping by.  

If you're curious to read the novel, you can visit Smashwords to download a sample or purchase an ebook copy. It's only 99 cents or you can pay what you feel is a fair price. It's okay, I didn't write it to make money, only to share a story. If you enjoyed it, mention it to others. Please post a rating and/or a review on Smashwords, or on Goodreads if you already have an avid reader account. 

Otherwise, stick around for a few years as we work on a shiny new print edition, due out by 2023.

If you're curious to see more Georgian Bay vacation pictures, drop by my Deep Blonde Thoughts blog.  I'll be posting more soon.

Have a nice summer.

T

Being alone on Mother's Day

It's Mother's Day 2015. I am alone.

My kids are away and have forgotten to gift me with flowers.  As a consolation, they have been sending me instant messages, cute stickers and Tweets.  


Welcome to the next generation, the new age of sentimental expression.
 
The cats seem apathetic but helped me express some former-Catholic, Motherly guilt.

That writing session took a lot out of me so I'm going to trim this bittersweet post by recycling some previous ones about Mothers Day and Motherly references in the Novel.

Thanks for dropping by.


Call your Mom.

T

Lion or Lamb?

Hello there, March!

So glad to see you and say farewell to frosty February!

February Haiku 2 For the shortest month Also coldest and bitter Bidding you farewell! FTL
— Florence T Lyon (@FloTLyon) February 26, 2015

So far this Sunday morning, you seem calm and dull.  Are you a gentle lamb or a lion in sheep's clothing?  Ah, weather lore and folksy interpretations, I love ya! 

I shall celebrate this new month, a chance to do some pre-spring cleaning and celebrate birth as we ease into the Year of the Sheep.

T
 

Blending traditions like there's no tomorrow

I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day.

I would not go out of my way to ruin the fun for all the lovers yet I feel sorry for the flowers suffering unnecessary carnage. 

No, I'm not bitter that I had nobody special to share this Hallmark holiday with.... I can celebrate it with my children and merge it with other tasty, shiny events this month.  I shall wait another day or two before I enjoy the savings on all the retail chocolate!  Bwaa-ha-ha-haaaaa.

It was a bittersweet day on February 14, 2015 when Michele Ferrero passed away. I shall think of him every time I bite into, every time I savour one of those tasty, chocolate-y, nutty Ferrero Rocher nuggets. There were times when they helped me through tearful drafts of the novel when Gummy Bears just would not do. Thank you, sir.
 
Wishing all visitors a safe, enjoyable and chocolate-y Valentines'-Flag Day-Family Day weekend and a prosperous, healthy Lunar New Year. 

  
Would you like a little taste from The Year of the Rabbit?

• Drop by the novel's domain;
• Read some excerpts;
• Download a few free chapters from Smashwords;
• Read comments from others;

Otherwise, stick around for a few years as we work on a shiny new print edition, due out by 2023.

Thanks for dropping by.

T (aka Flo)

Birthday wishes

Just wanted to mention that it's Sera Fletcher's birthday.

Happy Birthday!

She's a fellow Leo and Rabbit.

"There's a little bit of Sera in all of us."

How about you?  Are you a Leo too?

Get your copy of the ebook version at Smashwords. 


Theresa

Customer service 101

When you work in the service industry, you have to put your personal issues and attitudes aside while dealing with the public and other customers.

Most times, you must force that smile and keep your voice in a friendly, welcoming tone - even while dealing with personal issues or difficult people.  

I wrote about a recent restaurant experience while dining with friends.  Hop over to the Deep Blonde Thoughts blog post Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.    

Readers of the novel will remember the different types of patrons who frequented the Red Hare restaurant.  

Co-owner Jenny Young was patient and polite while serving customers.  She kept her attitude in check - especially while serving unpleasant customers like Daryl MacDonald.

You can meet Jenny and appreciate her kindness, her professionalism while you read the following excerpts:

• The Red Hare Family Restaurant  
• Winter Carnival

Read more excerpts from The Year of The Rabbit, a Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness. 

Join others who enjoyed this unpolished gem of Canadian fiction.  Download the first few chapters of the eBook for free from Smashwords.  If you like what you have read, you can then purchase the entire book for 99 cents or more (you set the price).  

 
Visit the novel's web site.  

Thanks for dropping by and remember:  the next time you dine out, be kind to your server.

T

Things that spring up at Easter

You wouldn't know it in the Ottawa Valley but Spring is here.  

The snowbanks are melting into dirt piles, there's dog pooh everywhere and the rivers are rising.  Yuk!

I haven't witnessed crocus sprouts pushing up yet but am hopeful to soon enjoy the annual Tulip Festival.  

Some folks are adorning their homes and work areas with colourful symbols of renewal and rebirth.  

 
Yes, some of us writers still have day jobs in order to support luxuries like rent, food and utilities. 

Friends and relatives are decluttering their attics, basements and garages, planning up-coming events like yard sales.   Who knows what gems or skeletons they will discover in the process?

One of the resident youth recently helped me dig out a piece of concept art that was nicely tucked away in our deep, dark storage area.  It was a Yin Yang egg I painted during the 1999 Year of the Rabbit.

I wanted to inspect this piece of art I attempted while trying to restore harmony during an unbalanced time in our lives, while treading the murky waters of my own well-being.  

If you dig deep enough, you will reconcile with your shame and forgive yourself for not acting soon enough to rescue your family.  You can spend years writing down to the bones to regain your mental health, work up the courage to symbolically destroy the demons from your past.  

The above news story was published in The Seguin Sounder, a fictitious newspaper that evolved out of the novel.  

Spoiler alert:  The antagonist meets with a violent ending at the hands of the innocent - and with a little help from nature.

Read excerpts from The Year of The Rabbit, a Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness. 

Join others who enjoyed this unpolished gem of Canadian fiction.  Download the first few chapters of the eBook for free from Smashwords.  If you like what you have read, you can then purchase the entire book for 99 cents or more (you set the price). 

Visit the novel's web site.  Just watch where you are digging though. 

Thanks for dropping by.  

Happy Easter! 
 

T

Speed reading or gauged pleasure

As an avid reader who likes to relax with a good book, would you want an app that helps you speed read through a novel on a smart device?

Something like the Spritz app would be helpful in circumstances when you need to study a short article or story summary of a book.  I don't think it can compete with the pleasure of sitting down with a good book or taking a novel to bed.  Would you agree?

I'm the kind of person who likes to read printed books in paperback and hard cover format.  I have progressed with the times by reading books on my iPad Mini as well. I find that paperbacks work best when reading in bed.  They make less noise or risk less damage if they were to drop from my sleepy grip.
 
In The Year of the Rabbit, Sera Fletcher loved to read and would often go to the local library to soften the pains of loneliness and escape into other worlds she discovered through books.  

She would also find herself sorting and re-shelving the books from the return carts.  She loved this sense of order and control since her world was falling apart around her.

• If you would like to download the first few chapters of the eBook version for free, visit this page at Smashwords.
• If you want to read more, you can set your own purchase price (above 99 cents) at Smashwords.
• If you’re not sure but would like to first see what others thought of the book, start here. 
• If you don’t own one of those newfangled eBook readers yet, you can purchase a Portable Document Format (PDF) version of the novel and read it on your computer, laptop or tablet.

Although it took me four years of drafts, edits, love and tears, I will allow you the right to read it as fast as you want. 

If you’re waiting for the next print edition, it may be ready before 2023.  

Thanks for dropping by.

T
 

Monkeying around

It was a golden weekend around le petit apartment.  

We got in some Olympic men's hockey cheering as Canada scored 3-0 over Sweden for the shiniest hardware of all.  

Of course it was a result of hard work by the Canadian team and nothing to do with my Saturday night lamp hunting visit to IKEA.

In addition to baking and working on her own projects, the resident artiste was busy with finishing up three more Chinese Zodiac illustrations.  I am pleased to present Monkey, Rooster and Dog. 

Lovely, yes?

Do you want to know more about The Year of the Rabbit?   

• Drop by the novel's domain;
• Read some excerpts;
• Download a few free chapters from Smashwords;
• Read comments from others;
• Like the novel on Facebook;
• Stick around for a few years as we work on the second edition.

Thanks for dropping by.

T

Happy Valentine's Day

I am not a romance writer nor do I willingly read romance novels.  

My hardened, cold heart still has a small, warm corner that acknowledges the biologically unstable state with a few droplets of hope. 

The Year of the Rabbit contains an element of romance that gradually builds and buds between characters Gio and Georgette. The excerpt below is the closest I could get to a Saint Valentine's Day offering.   Enjoy - if you must.  


Excerpt from Chapter 12 - before edits 

It was after dinner when Georgette located Gio in the greenhouse, trimming rose bushes and humming “Lavender Blue”.   She had already checked in on Sera and shared a glass of wine with his parents.  

He heard her heels click-clacking on the stonework outside as she approached the door, then the tap-tap-tap of a shoe against the door. 

“Knock, knock!” she called lyrically.

“Come in,” he sang back to her. 

“Mais, my hands are full,” she replied sweetly.

He turned and reached for the door handle.  Through the frosted glass he could see her womanly silhouette, standing with one hip positioned higher than the other, both arms bent slightly and each hand holding a wine goblet.

As Gio opened the door, he breathed in sharply when he saw her wearing a dark blue summer dress, tied at the waist with a white satin belt.  Her hair was pinned up with just a few copper curls dropping to the side and back of her neck.  As she smiled, her slightly sunburned face crinkled, revealing crows-feet around her twinkling, aging eyes. 

“Georgette,” he said softly, “You look beautiful this evening!”

She smiled, cocked her head to one side and inquired coquettishly, “Just this evening?”

He chuckled and stood aside to let her in.  She handed him a glass of red wine, “From the recent batch.  Your parents wanted your opinion.” She sashayed inside and stood near his workspace. 

“Thank you,” he said with a bow, “Err… merci, mademoiselle. Grazie.” 

“De rien,” she cooed.

Gio sipped slowly, rolled his tongue around in his mouth then swallowed.

“So, what is your opinion?” she asked.

He set his glass down on the table in front of two large plant pots, leaned his lower back against the table and said, “It’s great.  It’s perfect.” 

“That’s it?” she chuckled as she stepped closer.  She looked at the pots on the table.

“What are you working on, Gio?  What are these? They don’t look like rose bushes,” She slid in for a closer look. 

“Just a project I started a few years ago,” he replied softly then took her wine glass and set it down beside his.  

“So… how is the wine?” she insisted.  

He extended his right hand to her. She accepted.  He pulled her closer and enveloped her with his arms, one around her shoulders and the other around the small of her back.  She put her arms under his and around his back. 

Gio buried his face in her hair, breathed in then let out a big sigh, “It was worth the wait.”

Despite her womanly experience, she trembled.  He pulled her closer, her hip pressed against his thigh.  

“Are you cold?” he asked.

“No,” she looked up at him, smiling, “Just nervous.  I feel like a young woman.” 

“I feel like a man…  a free man,” he sighed and squeezed her gently against him.

“I can tell,” she quipped, “Whatever that is in your pants is starting to hurt me.”

“Oh, that,” he laughed, “No.  No, that’s … something I wanted to show you.  I guess this is a good time.”

“Really?” she smirked, leaning back slightly. 

- End excerpt - 

Learn more about The Year of the Rabbit, a novel about Fate, Family and Forgiveness:

• Drop by the novel's domain;
• Read some excerpts;
• Download a few free chapters from Smashwords;
• Read comments from others;
• Like the novel on Facebook;
• Stick around for a few years as we work on the second edition.

T

Feeding the artist child

It's just past Christmas and old man winter has us in his icy grip again.

Although yesterday was a dull, cold and slushy-bus Saturday in Ottawa, it didn't bring down my inner child nor the artist in the family.  

The illustrator recently celebrated a milestone age. She was happy, nay excited for me to take her on a birthday shopping trip to one of our favourite art supply stores, to pick out sketch books, pencils and other tools. 

It made me happy to see her so happy while browsing the aisles of creative potential.  It brought back memories of my young adult days, my creative escapes - and my own Mother's appreciation of my art. 


The illustrator holds two English Lit. degrees and has reverted back to her first love of drawing while waiting for the perfect career to drop onto her lap. 

She has created an online comic series that chronicles the travels of a human girl and her alien companion as they visit every habitable planet in the galaxy. She is expressing her creativity, her need for exploration and escape.  Didn't we all have a need for escape once or twice in our lives?

A few days ago, she finally produced three more Chinese Zodiac illustrations for the next edition of the novel.  These will cover her share of the rent for December.

The Year of the Snake will soon meander away.

- and the Year of the Horse will soon gallop in.

Some day, I think she could illustrate a beautiful children's book.  As a toddler, she was an inspiration for some of my drawings and whimsical sketches while I still had the time.

Realistically, I would like to see her and the other promising young people living with me succeed in education, career options - and eventually move out.  

So, while she's looking for gainful employment and arting around, perhaps you would like to purchase a framed print of one of her creations?  Help her save up for her own apartment and not be held ransom by a mother who forces her to produce drawings in lieu of rent.  

Do you want to know more about The Year of the Rabbit?  

• Drop by the novel's domain;
• Read some excerpts;
• Download a few free chapters from Smashwords;
• Read comments from others;
• Like the novel on Facebook;
• Stick around for a few years as we work on the second edition.

Thanks for dropping by.

T

Bicycle stories

When you were younger, did you ride a bike?  Did you ride your bicycle everywhere and anywhere around town?

If you fall into a certain age range, you may share the opinion that "back in the day", kids were safe and carefree as they rode their bikes all around and across town.  

We didn't wear helmets.  We may have had bells and baskets.  We were cautious enough to enjoy being adventurous.  Those were the days.  

Hop on over to the Deep Blonde Thoughts blog where you can read about bicycle statistics and activities around present day Ottawa. 

In the novel there is mention of the children of the 1970s riding bikes.  If one night you forgot to put it in the shed, there was the chance of your bicycle being stolen.  It happened to me in my teens.  It almost happened to Sera Fletcher in
The Year of the Rabbit. 

If you enjoyed that excerpt, you may want to read more.  You may even want to:

• Buy the eBook (You set the price!) or download a free sample from Smashwords; 
• Buy a copy of the eBook at the iBookstore if you're visiting this page on an iPad. (Please note that they still have the novel incorrectly categorized as Children's fiction)

Visit the home page for The Year of the Rabbit, a novel about Fate, Family and Forgiveness.  The main characters are a Catholic priest, a little girl and a retired exotic dancer.  
 

Did you find this blog entry funny, interesting or inspiring? See the reaction check boxes below.  You can also subscribe to / follow this blog via email notification.  See the little sign-up box on the right hand side of this page.

Thanks for dropping by.

T

Research is difficult and tedious

The author of The Year of the Rabbit didn't have ample time to properly research wines before publishing the novel. 

To the kind and gracious readers, she apologizes.  

If you have read the book and noticed any faux-pas's with wine references, here's your chance to be rewarded for the inconvenience.  You can help her correct any wrongs. 

Visit this Deep Blonde Thoughts blog post.  Follow the instructions to obtain a much-deserved gift.

Are you not familiar with this bittersweet story?  Really?  Mon Dieu!  You are welcome to read excerpts from the novel.  Download a sampling from Smashwords.  

See what others have offered after reading the book (and without noticing any key omissions about wine). 

Thanks for dropping by.  Now we must head off on our important quest...  :o) 

T

Missing since Halloween

A Seguin Sound man posts a request in the local newspaper, looking for his wife and daughter.

Thing is... they don't want to be found.  Find out why in this excerpt.  

This becomes a traumatic experience for Sera Fletcher who will spend the subsequent months missing her friend and sinking into depression.   

She finds joy when her illegitimate nephew is born.  Then she ponders life and death while realizing her mother will not survive the cancer that is consuming her once beautiful body. 

See more Seguin Sounder clippings.  Read more excerpts.

Thanks for dropping by.   Hop on over to The Year of the Rabbit web site when you have a minute.  

T