The last seven days has seen a lot more variety than is usually the case in my writing life. And It’s been good. Maybe variety really is the spice of life.

In the course of those last seven days I finished the first draft of my third novel and sent it off to the publisher to begin the review and editing stage; completed virtually all texts for the major new exhibit installation that is to go into what will be the Camus Productions-designed Colchester Historeum in about six months time; completed the final review of the pages for the book on the Landscape of Grand Pré UNESCO WHS that will be released in a few weeks; wrote a book review; and began to write a paper for an academic conference that will be held at the Université Laval in Québec in June. In the normal course of things, I have one or two projects to work on, but this was an exceptional week. The writing of the conference paper is not over yet, but I have to say it felt good to put that old academic hat back on yesterday as I started to figure out what I wanted to say about religion at Louisbourg and the Récollets. It was kind of like seeing an old friend, though in this case, that friend is a part of me.

Yet another flashback. In 1979 there was a conference in Sydney that had a focus on the 18th century. The event included an excursion — how could it not? — out to the Fortress of Louisbourg. Attending the conference were a gaggle of former and current Fortress historians. Someone had the bright idea to take a photo of us all. Ken Donovan and I are in the back row, with historian / archivist Eric Krause, the late Terry MacLean and renowned writer and historian Christopher Moore in the middle row. In front, left to right, are Gilles Proulx, Maria Razzolini, Brenda Dunn and the late Bob Morgan.

I think at its peak, the Fortress might have had seven historians working on the project. In my time there were usually three. More recently the number dropped to one. Currently there are none. It would be a shame, a grave mistake, if the investment that was made to give Louisbourg historical depth, were to be cast aside. The place needs at least one historian there working with the historical documentation and sharing what she or he finds with the interpretive staff.

Here is the entire cover, front and back, that the publisher has come up with for the book that will be released in a couple of months.

Though I have not seen the film, nor read the short story by Alan Sillitoe upon which the movie was based, I have always admired the title, “The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner.” It spoke to me the first time I heard it way back when. It is so easy to imagine oneself out on the pavement or dirt track, running on and on, all by oneself, wondering when the course, or even the road itself, will come to an end.

That title comes to mind this morning, as I continue to figure out the last 50 or 60 pages of my third novel. Anyone who has ever written a book, and particularly a novel, will know the feeling. The course is nearly run, or maybe it’s not. It’s so hard to tell. But on and on I write: taking away and adding on, staying the course, one more long-distance writer on the road.

In New Brunswick: Fredericton and Sackville.

In Nova Scotia: Truro, Dartmouth, Pictou, River John, Arichat, Voglers Cove, Halifax, Sydney and Port Hawkesbury.

Those are the various places I’ve made presentations about my project of Thomas Pichon Novels (#pichonnovels) over the past nine months. And I’ll be in Wolfville at Acadia University on February 25. A winter storm forced the cancellation of my talk in Annapolis Royal, but I’m hoping that will be re-scheduled for a spring date.

It’s been fun, meeting people in all the different communities. Should anyone read this want to have me come and do something similar, send me a note via the Contact tab.

A great many people had a hand in organizing these various talks. Thanks to all of them. I also want to thank the Canada Council for the Arts for covering some of my travel costs.

In a couple of months the new book, Grand Pré, Landscape for the World will be released and I’ll likely be talking about that book in a few places. In the fall, the third Thomas Pichon Novel, tentatively called “Crossings” is slated for release.

Ken Donovan, a good friend and longtime Fortress of Louisbourg colleague, sent me a photo today that brought back a lot of memories. A link to that photo is below.

Back around 1980, the late great historical artist Lewis Parker came from Ontario to live in Cape Breton and to work on two large murals depicting Louisbourg in 1744. Those paintings hang in the commissaire ordonnateur’s residence (aka Bigot House). I was fortunate to be selected as Lew’s main contact person / historical adviser. That meant I spent a lot of time with him over what must have been an 18-month period. When the need arose, I channeled what I and other researchers at the Fortress knew about the place for the painter to put into his two compositions. Lew’s talent for including details, while creating a painter’s striking composition, was remarkable. But more than that was the man himself. I don’t think I’ve ever met a kinder, more gentle soul. Everyone who ever spent any time with Lew felt exactly the same. He became very much a grandfather figure for our three kids.

As for the photo, I have no idea what Lew and I were laughing at. I wish I knew.Judging by the painting, the “View from the Clock Tower” was nearly finished. The other painting to be done at that time was “View from a Warship.”

Thanks to Ken for taking the original photo and for sharing it with me, thirty some years after the event it depicts.