JAMES OSBORNE

James Osborne, a member of SAW and a past member of the Shuswap Writers’ Group is delighted to inform us that another of his award-winning short stories has been published in an anthology called “Tales to Inspire”, and just posted on Amazon.  The story, Dragonflies and The Great Blue Heron, was the runner up in an international contest sponsored by New York editor Lois Stern.  Congratulations Jim.

LILACS AND BIFOCALS

I am currently submitting my young adult novel, Lilacs and Bifocals, an historical story taking place in 1955 on a ranch in the Alberta foothills.  Here are a few sentences from the first chapter….

It was an unseasonably warm fall, and a few shrunken berries hung wearily on the branches of a Saskatoon bush, soon to be picked clean by migrating birds heading south for the winter.

Caroline kneed Ebony gently, encouraging him to pick up his pace. The twigs and shrubbery brushed against his withers while the dried leaves disturbed by his passing drifted gently to the ground.

Turning down one of the steep side trails, they eventually arrived at Hunter’s Creek. Water trickled sluggishly over the slick rocks, creating a small waterfall as it spilled into a natural pool. The decomposed trunk of a white birch which had toppled many years ago was lying half-submerged in the stream.

Caroline dismounted, stretching her tired muscles. She took a drink of water from her canteen, and hung it back on the saddle horn.  If the stray heifer was not found soon, the search would have to be called off. They had to get the rest of the herd down the mountain before nightfall.  Caroline had overheard Grandpa telling Pete that it was going to be a hard winter, and she knew losing even one calf would greatly add to their financial problems.