Happy 4th From Your Canadian Cousin (list) by Leanne Dyck

photo by ldyck

Cross-legged on the carpet, elbows on knees, chin cupped in hands, two feet away from the screen, I was mesmerized. Get Smart. Bewitched. I Dream of Jeannie. Green Acres. The Beverly Hillbillies. Most of the TV shows I watched were from the USA. Watching the product of someone else's imagination encouraged me to continue to play with mine. 

When I started writing hand-knitting patterns, it was knitters from the United States who were the most supportive. I sent them patterns and they sent me emails that read, I love your pattern!

In appreciation and to celebrate Independence Day, I've collected short stories that I've written and that were inspired by the United States.

Independence

What's Bluegrass?

Marketing 101

Discovering Land

photo by ldyck

photo by ldyck

Next on this Blog

I'd like to spend the summer with you. And I have the perfect beach read.

I've shared the three-part version of Feeling Groovy.

Part one

Part two

Part three

This summer I'll treat you to the extended version--starting next Sunday, July 11. Seeking clarity, I've renamed the extended version The Other Side. I'll publish installments twice a week--Sunday and Wednesday at 4:40 PM PST. 

The Other Side

serialized

14 installments

inspired by a house my husband and I lived in on BC's Mainland, our move to a remote island, and my love of the 1960s.

My only question is, "Are you ready for the summer?"

photo by ldyck

Sharing my Author Journey...

Working on my current projects has required me to read much of my old writing and it's helped me realize something that I'd like to share with you...

Over the years, I've spent too much time worrying about and even being annoyed at the wrong people.

Independence (short story) by Leanne Dyck

A tale of how two brothers gained independence.

This short story was inspired by Canada Day (July 1st) and Independence Day (July 4th).

photo by ldyck

Independence

Elizabeth had two sons, Ulysses and Cameron. She loved both of her sons equally.

Finances were meager for the single-parent household. So, in addition to his schoolwork, Ulysses contributed financially, first by doing odd jobs around the neighbourhood and then by getting a part-time job at a local fast food joint. He brought every cent home to his mom. Elizabeth, alone, paid the bills and managed the cash flow.

"If I'm old enough to earn it, I'm old enough to manage it," Ulysses told his mom.

"We need to eat, not buy new sneakers," Elizabeth told him. 

The two of them fought. It got so bad that one day, Ulysses told his mom, "That's it. I'm out of here." He couldn't stand to think of his little brother being raised by such a control freak, so he added, "And Cameron is coming with me."

Fighting back tears, Elizabeth shot back, "Go, but your brother is staying with me."

Though tons of people just called Cameron "lil bro" and thought the best compliment they could give him was to tell him that he was just like Ulysses, it was plain to Elizabeth how different they were. Cameron was a gentle spirit. Instead of fighting for independence, he chose quiet moments to talk about it with her. And eventually, she did let him move away to attend university, but she couldn't stop worrying about him. So she phoned or texted every day and visited him once a month. She brought care packages, tidied his dorm room, and did his laundry.

After work one night, she was waiting for a bus when a skinhead with hate tattoos grabbed her purse. She'd just been paid. It was stupid, but she held onto the straps. He drew a knife.

"Help," she screamed.

Out of the shadows, her baby boy, Cameron, leapt to her defense. Just because he chose not to fight didn't mean he couldn't. With a well-placed blow, Cameron knocked the knife out of the assailant's hand and saved his mother. 

From that day forward Elizabeth's respect for her youngest son grew. She stepped back more and more to allow Cameron to deal with his own affairs. And in this way, Cameron earned his independence. 

Related articles...

Selected Presidential Quotes on Canada

Canada Day Celebrations

Invade US, Canada

On this blog in July...

Two short stories and two book reviews

July 5

short story:  A Fish on the Hayfield

how I became a writer

July 12

book review:  Room

Emma Donoghue

One of my favourite books

July 19

short story:  Maybe Me (romance)

slightly odd but, you know, isn't love like that

July 26

book review:  My Sister, the Serial Killer

Oyinkan Braithwaite

darkly comic thriller

I'm still here.

photo by ldyck

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