As you might already know, Daniel Bryant is launching his collection of short stories, Rerouted, tomorrow afternoon (Sunday, September 15, 2019) at the Dora Keogh Pub in Toronto. It’s going to be quite the party, with music, literary band t-shirts, and bookish fun! In honour of this upcoming event, we here at PQL might be fun to hear the origin story of the book, straight from the author’s … keyboard. So, without further ado…
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Soooo, it all started a few years ago.
As you can well imagine, I chat with everyone on my route. I talk about the weather, slip in a few probing questions, and drop some info about myself quite seamlessly. I have no filter or sense of decorum.
Ask my wife.
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Over the course of the first year on my route (generally we switch every 4-6 years when the station undergoes a restructure) I noticed that Chandra received a lot of packages and cheques from various publishers. One day while she was signing for a package, I asked her if she was a writer. She replied that she was an editor. I then talked about being a compulsive writer (I like to write and I don’t know why) Of course, talking about being a compulsive anything is risky, but Chandra listened and the conversation flowed into talk of favourite writers and genres. I name dropped Paul Quarrington and Will Ferguson as I had mentored with both. I think at some point I may have blurted out that I love H.P. Lovecraft, but Chandra was very gracious and good natured and did not close the door on my face.
At the end I asked if she would be willing to take a look at two stories (honestly, I only had two stories that I had finished to my satisfaction) and give me feedback as to whether this writing thing was worth pursuing further.
She did and we are here today.
A quick note: at the same time my wife did express at the time – quite colourfully in fact – that I should perhaps try and finish a story for once in my life instead of leaping from one idea to the next like some crack-addled frog in lily pad land.
Or something like that.
The details have become vague with time.
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There are two things to take from this little guest post. 1. Daniel Bryant is a funny guy, and his writing definitely reflects this personality. You’ll find Rerouted to be darkly comic, with a literary supernatural twist. 2. Take heart! When you’re a published author with a first collection under your belt, the hungry days of struggling to publish said collection may be lost to the fog of time.
We hope you’re able to stop by the launch. It promises to be quite a treat!
Cheers,
Re: Daniel Bryant’s book “Re-Routed”:
I picked up this book from the discarded/donated books section of my local library – happily the one I used in my youth and continue to use. I was surprised to find that the book had been signed by the author and thought I would check the internet to see who this writer was.
I was quite surprised to find out that Mr. Bryant was an ordinary working bloke who happened to like writing. How this book came to print is a great story and congratulations to The Porcupine’s Quill for the part it played in the birthing of this story. I have a niece who lives near Erin so that compels me to look up your place of business next time I visit your fair town. Further surprise to me was the fact that Mr. Bryant was mentored by Paul Quarrington an author who entered my reading life because of a friend’s passing acquaintance and an obituary written by Dave Bidini in “The National Post.” I have since read a number of Mr. Quarrington’s works as well as gone to listen to Dave Bidini’s band.
So far I have only read a few pages of “Re-Routed,” up to the dead rat in the street. Perhaps I will return to your site with a review once I have finished the book.
Lucky to have come across a signed copy quite by accident as I visited the library this past Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019 – on my way home after a meeting with folks involved in the Out of the Cold Shelter Program which I am involved in every Monday night (graveyard shift)from mid-November to mid-April. Sometimes I get lucky with a rare book find or in this case a new book autographed by the author. Irish luck?
Have a great day. God bless.
Jim Barnes