Novels
Hoarfrost and Cherry Blossoms
Set against the isolation of northern Canada, a young man and his eclectic mix of good friends navigate life via a series of comic and tragic events that hover on the precipice of the relationship between life and death.
Divided into six sections which are each centered on a new experience, the novel recounts how the group deals with these events. Though not unique in themselves, entertaining and often outrageous scenarios that escalate from the sublime to the ridiculous are constantly in play.
Small incidents become major events as a result of the isolation and the hours available for introspective conversation. In another section, the neighboring townsfolk quietly steal the community’s curling stones as quid pro quo stroke for a prank the previous year. In keeping with the outrageous, this silly joke turns into an international incident involving Japanese businessmen, the Canadian government, and international corporations.
Life is not all laughter and pranks. On the darker side, a tragic fire takes the lives of an entire young family. The community not only has to deal with the fighting of a fire but also the agony of losing the battle.
Brian endears himself to the reader yet again when he turns a stranger’s minor flirtations with his girlfriend into a testosterone war with unexpected antics and self inflicted injury.
In the end, the reader is reminded that each day is precious. Brian’s legacy to the reader is that one should ensure each day is special and full of memories that should bring much more than a mere smile to the face.
