Two of Creemore’s finest people, Ken Thornton and darci-que, will host a launch party on Saturday, November 19 for their respective new books.
Ken, at 93 an inspiration to us all, has completed his first novel after previously publishing a book of short stories. Entitled The Elusive Dream, this book follows a young farmboy from the prairies as he becomes a journalist, dresses up as a hobo for a story and takes to the trains, winds up in the hospital, meets a Mountie, and through this relationship finally becomes a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a dream of his since childhood.
The suspicion of many who hear of Ken’s book is that it is semi-autobiographical, and he does concede that the character in the book has some similarities to himself. Certainly, they both had the same dream, and had climbed over several obstacles to reach it. Ken, of course, had the Second World War stand in the way of his dream to be a Mountie. After serving in the air force for five years and getting married, he settled down to a more sensible existence. But famously (at least in Creemore), he learned to play the bagpipes at age 83 and was eventually made a member of the RCMP pipe band, playing at several functions every year including the Canada Day celebrations on Parliament Hill.
“Parts of this book parallel my life, but much of it doesn’t,” said Ken, who starting writing the 350-page tome about 20 years ago. After all that work, he’s proud of the outcome. “I think it has such a lovely twist at the end,” he says with his trademark smile. “Something happens that I am so proud of.”
darci-que, on the other hand, has finished another installment in her popular series of children’s books about The Adventures of Mollie Doodle, her loyal Labradoodle. This one, called Mollie’s Birthday Party, must come with a caveat from Creemore Echo: the protaganist in the book is a bearded collie owned by this newspaper’s editor, also the writer of this story. His name is Findlay and, following a habit that he has in real life, he runs away from Mollie’s birthday party, causing all the other canine invitees to have to chase him around town. Eventually, he is returned to the party and Mollie is able to share her cake with her friends (a group which includes all of the dogs she’s ever baby sat.)
The launch party is taking place from 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday, November 19 at the Station on the Green. Refreshments will be served.