Edith and Frankie More Adventures with a Capital A
I’ve just published my second children’s book. It’s a reading book for 7 – 12 year olds and it’s called, ‘Edith and Frankie More Adventures with a Capital A’. You can find it on Amazon or any book platform worldwide.
“All three puppies stopped in their tracks, each one of them not wanting to think the worst. “They’re in trouble. Maybe Toby and Anya and Freddy have been trapped by the forest fire. We need to go and find them. We need to save them.” Frankie didn’t know what ‘save them’ meant but she thought it was spelled with an ‘S’ which meant that it was very close to being scary. “I’m just a puppy.” said Frankie, not wanting to sound Scared with a Capital S, “I don’t know how to save anyone.”
Oh, Canada What Lays Ahead
If this fractious, angry, violent Canada is the one you envision for yourself and your children, keep doing what it is you’re doing. But if this is not the Canada you envision, then stand up and be heard for goodness sake. Stand up at home, stand up at school, stand up at school board meetings, at council, at protests, stand up and be heard. Stand up for your country. Stand up for yourself.
Just Another Manic Monday
The long trial comes to the inevitable climax:”So you play by the sword, you die by the sword Mr. Gallagher and now it is my turn.” Beau finally had Gallagher pinned and he was not about to let him off the mat. All the tensions of the trial were released. The lack of respect, the punitive arguments, the personal insults, Beau had taken note of it all. “This jury is poisoned. You never took control of the publisher and you sure as hell never took control of his little Rottweiler, Peter Franklyn. You own this Gallagher.”
I Did It. I’m Guilty.
Beau didn’t have much time for Gallagher and he suspected Gallagher held him in the same regard. The forced civility between lawyers often breaks down in long criminal trials. When he thought it served his clients purposes Beau had often intentionally aggravated prosecutors; any energy he could divert his way was energy diverted from the case. He even remembered a fist fight in the barristers changing room between two lawyers, during a long drug trial in Victoria. Things could get heated.
A Wise Old Owl Walks into a Bar
“Growing old is not for the faint of heart Tony.” I’ll never forget the first time I heard my father saying it though. Turns out he was a wise old owl after all. Sure got my attention. What did I know, I was forty-four years old? Wet behind the ears! It felt like some old mariners warning about rough weather ahead. And what’s worse it appeared, if I was hearing my father correctly, no course correction was available. No matter what, this was going to happen.
The Trial of the Century
The Judge was visibly furious. “Don’t you presume to lecture me or this court. This Sir, is not the Trial of the Century. This is a first degree murder trial in Whitehorse, Yukon. It is no more and no less than that. It is in and of itself important and needs no media declaration to make it so. It will be made neither more or less important by calling it ‘The Trial of the Century’. This is a system of justice that has evolved over a thousand years and I will not see you or any reporter trivialize its importance with a fancy name.
Mistrial
The Judge was furious. “You had better be careful making empty claims in my court Mr. Jackson. And let me say this about mistrials, lest it inform you going forward. I have been on the bench for over twenty five years and not once in all that time, not once, have I ever granted a motion for mistrial. I am not about to begin anytime soon.”
My Dog Talks
Finn and Edith had agreed on one thing. Well they might have agreed on more but they never stopped chasing one another long enough to agree on much at all. But they did agree it was going to take a long time to train their humans.
“Keep your voice down.” Finn whispered.
“No need to whisper Finn, humans don’t understand dog.”
The Second Trial
He could see that Peter was furious, struggling to remain composed. Beau pressed his advantage, “You and your publisher need to be careful. You care too much. You want my client to be convicted of first degree murder again. And if you’re not careful you’re going to interfere with a fair trial for my client. You’d better be careful.” he repeated. Peter was wordless but his flushed cheeks and the tension in his face betrayed his anger.
The Young Lawyer
Joe Stokes had never had a day of trouble with the law. Yet, he had shot a man dead with one shot to the head with a .357 revolver. What happens to cause such a break, a lapse into a dissociative state, unshackled from the usual restraints against violence?