The news from my one time home

Keep on feeling that selling this manuscript of mine is going to be a tougher job than previously. All of my enquiries to date have been met with a deafening silence, not even a 'send it and it'll go in the slush pile' response, which is odd. I'm putting it down to the economy. When the credit goes crunch then there is less money about as the economy is shrinking back to a more sustainable level. Less money for luxury items like magazines and books, so all the publishers are counting all the baked beans in every tin, and only staying with the trusted and proven moneyspinners.

Relative newcomers like me without an inside track are basically going to have to wait until the market improves. Unless of course a publisher gets desperate enough to take a chance on a nobody. Even a published nobody like me.

Have stopped getting upset about the reduction in civil liberties and increasing taxation back in the UK. I have a job, a Canadian Driver's License, and as far as I am concerned, this is going to be home for the rest of my life. I'm here legally, and intend to stay that way come hell or high water.

I often get asked by other ex-pats, and a few native born Canadians if I'll ever go back to Britain. My general response, after looking around at the calm waters, distant snow capped peaks and blue skies of Vancouver Island, is so far "No. not if I can help it." Whenever nostalgia about bright early mornings and open roads on the old Fosse Way bites, I recall rush hour traffic on the M25, grey skies and drizzling rain, the incessant background whining (From the people, not mosquitoes), 'people jams' and the, well not specifically rudeness, but the sense that you, as an individual do not count.

The general claim round here is that British Columbia is the best place to live on Earth. Having travelled throughout the world, I would heartily endorse that assertion. God bless Canada.