D.A. Cairns's Blog, page 59
February 9, 2013
Smile Power
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Being a keen observer of people, a student of human behaviour, as many writers are, I enjoy going to parties. I like to watch people and interact with them. (I sound like an extraterrestrial spy!) The way we (it's okay, I am one of you) relate and respond to one another fascinates me.
[image error] I went to a birthday party last night. My very good friend, one of my best mates, turned 40. I looked forward to attending, not just to have a celebratory beer or two with the birthday boy, and to catch up with some other mutual friends but also to meet new people. I knew less than a quarter of the party goers. I like meeting new people because, although small talk can be hard and ultimately unrewarding work, there is always the chance that you will meet someone you really click with. I was also hoping the topic of conversation would turn to books and that I could hand out a few book promoting business cards which I just happened to have on me. (shameless self promoter!)
[image error] It was interesting to note that, despite some mingling which mostly occurred at the bar and on the bowling green, there were distinct groups. There were a couple of family tables, a table of church friends, a table of running club friends and one of old friends. Most people prefer to stay safe in familiar territory. Who knows if a woman at the running table would laugh at a joke made by a man at the church table? Most of us are insecure to some extent. Some just find it hard to make conversation or to get along with people.
Regardless of what social phobias we may possess there is no excuse for rudeness. No justification for excluding people or making them feel uncomfortable. It really isn't that hard to be nice and if you haven't tried it lately you'd be shocked at how much impact a smile can have. In Loathe Your Neighbor, David Lavender is basically a good bloke: easy going, friendly, charming and chatty. He's an ex sales rep so he knows how to talk to people and he likes people. Granted, he is inclined to extreme behaviour on occasion: the public snub by his neighbor contributes to feelings of hatred. The polite conversation of his communications trainer leads to fantasy and flirtation. Sometimes he gets things wrong. Sometimes we all get things wrong. Next time you go to a party, try to get it right. Smile. Be a good listener, and be yourself. And writers...watch closely and have your notebooks ready.
[image error] I went to a birthday party last night. My very good friend, one of my best mates, turned 40. I looked forward to attending, not just to have a celebratory beer or two with the birthday boy, and to catch up with some other mutual friends but also to meet new people. I knew less than a quarter of the party goers. I like meeting new people because, although small talk can be hard and ultimately unrewarding work, there is always the chance that you will meet someone you really click with. I was also hoping the topic of conversation would turn to books and that I could hand out a few book promoting business cards which I just happened to have on me. (shameless self promoter!)
[image error] It was interesting to note that, despite some mingling which mostly occurred at the bar and on the bowling green, there were distinct groups. There were a couple of family tables, a table of church friends, a table of running club friends and one of old friends. Most people prefer to stay safe in familiar territory. Who knows if a woman at the running table would laugh at a joke made by a man at the church table? Most of us are insecure to some extent. Some just find it hard to make conversation or to get along with people.
Regardless of what social phobias we may possess there is no excuse for rudeness. No justification for excluding people or making them feel uncomfortable. It really isn't that hard to be nice and if you haven't tried it lately you'd be shocked at how much impact a smile can have. In Loathe Your Neighbor, David Lavender is basically a good bloke: easy going, friendly, charming and chatty. He's an ex sales rep so he knows how to talk to people and he likes people. Granted, he is inclined to extreme behaviour on occasion: the public snub by his neighbor contributes to feelings of hatred. The polite conversation of his communications trainer leads to fantasy and flirtation. Sometimes he gets things wrong. Sometimes we all get things wrong. Next time you go to a party, try to get it right. Smile. Be a good listener, and be yourself. And writers...watch closely and have your notebooks ready.
February 1, 2013
MAlvsadhn
These nine letters are a program content advisory. The more letters appear after a show's name, the more there is in that program which may offend people. Language, violence, sex, drugs use, horror and nudity. I never watched it, but apparently Big Brother Up-Late had it all many years ago in its heyday.
A preacher I once heard, suggested that Christians should participate in popular culture in order to relate to people. When everyone's talking about Big Brother, for example, what can we contribute to the conversation if we haven't watched it? How can we reach people if we can't relate to them? Good point!
But for some reason I could not bring myself to watch it. Maybe it was the rebel in me that refused to look at the show just because it was popular, or maybe it just didn't appeal, or maybe I was worried that I might actually like it and get hooked. How shocking to enjoy a show featuring violence, language, sex, nudity, horror and drugs when I call myself a Christian.
The thing is, I have written a book which needs a content advisory warning, Loathe Your Neighbor. I'm a Christian who wrote a book which contains ungodly behaviour. I guess I'm in good company because I know another book which features all the same things as Big Brother-Up Late. Despite it's adult content, I happily confess it's my favourite. I keep reading it over and over again. It's funny how what we read, watch and enjoy sometimes conflicts with what we believe, how we live and who we are.
A preacher I once heard, suggested that Christians should participate in popular culture in order to relate to people. When everyone's talking about Big Brother, for example, what can we contribute to the conversation if we haven't watched it? How can we reach people if we can't relate to them? Good point!But for some reason I could not bring myself to watch it. Maybe it was the rebel in me that refused to look at the show just because it was popular, or maybe it just didn't appeal, or maybe I was worried that I might actually like it and get hooked. How shocking to enjoy a show featuring violence, language, sex, nudity, horror and drugs when I call myself a Christian.
The thing is, I have written a book which needs a content advisory warning, Loathe Your Neighbor. I'm a Christian who wrote a book which contains ungodly behaviour. I guess I'm in good company because I know another book which features all the same things as Big Brother-Up Late. Despite it's adult content, I happily confess it's my favourite. I keep reading it over and over again. It's funny how what we read, watch and enjoy sometimes conflicts with what we believe, how we live and who we are.
January 25, 2013
Too Good to be True
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Computers often make me feel like this. They promise so much but deliver frustration. They don't boot immediately like they do on TV, nor download pages from the Web in the blink of an eye. They can't think for themselves. I want a computer like the one in Star Trek, on the Enterprise: always ready to give me information. All I have to do is ask.
[image error] Things don't work like they do in the infomercials. The Renovator doesn't cut anything as fast as promised, and makes more noise than a jet taking off. The twirling head on the battery operated duster falls off all the time. By the time you have searched your Smart TV for the show you want to watch, you could have driven to video store, rented the entire season, bought some Maccas on the way back and watched it.
There are no romances like Edward and Bella's, where the passion literally lasts forever. (And not just because vampires don't exist.) There are no families like The Brady Bunch where conflicts are resolved in 22 minute episodes, and the challenges of step parenting are minor inconveniences rather than vitriolic relationship destroyers. 50% of marriages fail. Nearly every family has a broken link, a black sheep, a Voldemort. Real life happy endings aren't as common as we want them to be.
Very few things are the way they should be. Even our desperate and sometimes pitiful attempts to fix things, to right wrongs, often lead to more disaster. More anxiety, more frustration. David Lavender, in my novel Loathe Your Neighbour, is a classic example of the struggle between what is and what should be. His marriage isn't working. He doesn't get on with his stepson, has a strained relationship with his father, and strong antipathy towards his neighbour. All his solutions lead to more problems.This is why fantasy, in all its forms is so popular. Reality often sucks.
I would like to offer you a free digital copy of Loathe Your Neighbour. Please go to http://www.facebook.com/LoatheYourNei..., Like the page and I'll send you a coupon. You can also win a signed paperback at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...
[image error] Things don't work like they do in the infomercials. The Renovator doesn't cut anything as fast as promised, and makes more noise than a jet taking off. The twirling head on the battery operated duster falls off all the time. By the time you have searched your Smart TV for the show you want to watch, you could have driven to video store, rented the entire season, bought some Maccas on the way back and watched it.
There are no romances like Edward and Bella's, where the passion literally lasts forever. (And not just because vampires don't exist.) There are no families like The Brady Bunch where conflicts are resolved in 22 minute episodes, and the challenges of step parenting are minor inconveniences rather than vitriolic relationship destroyers. 50% of marriages fail. Nearly every family has a broken link, a black sheep, a Voldemort. Real life happy endings aren't as common as we want them to be.
Very few things are the way they should be. Even our desperate and sometimes pitiful attempts to fix things, to right wrongs, often lead to more disaster. More anxiety, more frustration. David Lavender, in my novel Loathe Your Neighbour, is a classic example of the struggle between what is and what should be. His marriage isn't working. He doesn't get on with his stepson, has a strained relationship with his father, and strong antipathy towards his neighbour. All his solutions lead to more problems.This is why fantasy, in all its forms is so popular. Reality often sucks.I would like to offer you a free digital copy of Loathe Your Neighbour. Please go to http://www.facebook.com/LoatheYourNei..., Like the page and I'll send you a coupon. You can also win a signed paperback at http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17...
January 13, 2013
Loathe Your Neighbour giveaway
For one week only I am giving away digital copies of my new novel, Loathe Your Neighbour. You will need a coupon for Smashwords. Here's how you get one.
Like Loathe you Neighbour on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LoatheYourNei... and get 5 friends to like it as well. Send me an e-mail telling me all about it at devolution_dacairns@dodo.com.au and I'll send you a coupon. Too easy. But wait there's more.
I have a brand new e-book reader/multimedia player worth $120 to give to the person who brings me the most sales of Loathe Your Neighbour http://www.artemaepress.com/by-da-cairns.html . You have one month to help me out by recommending, sharing, tweeting or however else you do it. Knock yourself out. It's for a good cause. No need for hard selling because Loathe Your Neighbour will sell itself.
Like Loathe you Neighbour on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LoatheYourNei... and get 5 friends to like it as well. Send me an e-mail telling me all about it at devolution_dacairns@dodo.com.au and I'll send you a coupon. Too easy. But wait there's more.
I have a brand new e-book reader/multimedia player worth $120 to give to the person who brings me the most sales of Loathe Your Neighbour http://www.artemaepress.com/by-da-cairns.html . You have one month to help me out by recommending, sharing, tweeting or however else you do it. Knock yourself out. It's for a good cause. No need for hard selling because Loathe Your Neighbour will sell itself.
January 12, 2013
The Book I had to Write
I could describe how I feel if I tried really hard but it is such a potent cocktail of emotions that I am afraid I would be rolling drunk before I could finish. Nevertheless, here it is.
My second novel, Loathe Your Neighbor, was released today. I started writing it over two years ago. I ask myself why I spent so much time and effort to write something which may or may not, at that stage, have ever made it into "print". As recently as last August, I had no interest from publishers and nothing but hope that I would eventually find one. Even in this digital age where independent self publishers outnumber traditionals (whatever that means) I had no compelling reason for writing another book.
By the year 2010, I had been writing for 12 years. I'd had a handful of short stories published and even got paid for one of them. Twice. I had written a novel, Devolution, and published it as an e-book through a fee for service online publisher but it was as successful as ice cream in Antartica. I was proud of my achievement but I wanted more. I wanted readers and lots of them. I self published a paperback version of Devolution which out sold the e-book by five times but I did not want to do that again. I wanted an editor to read my manuscript and tell me they loved it and sign me up for a publishing deal. This is what all writers want. Yes, we write because we love the art but we want readers.
Why then with nothing but a story to tell and a dream of many people reading it, did I write Loathe Your Neighbour? I wrote it because I had to. More than two years later, Jeanne Haskin at Artema Press has delivered half my dream: a publishing contract. The other half? I still don't know what the trick is to attracting readers. Maybe there is no trick. Popularity is not a reflection of quality. There's a video on YouTube of a girl in a tight black dress brushing her teeth which has received tens of thousand of views.
I'm proud of Loathe Your Neighbor and I hope lots of people read and enjoy it. I wouldn't mind making a little money out of it as well. Neither would Artema Press. But even if it doesn't fly, if it doesn't sell up a storm, I'll write another novel. I can't help it. I'm a dreamer and I love writing stories.
My second novel, Loathe Your Neighbor, was released today. I started writing it over two years ago. I ask myself why I spent so much time and effort to write something which may or may not, at that stage, have ever made it into "print". As recently as last August, I had no interest from publishers and nothing but hope that I would eventually find one. Even in this digital age where independent self publishers outnumber traditionals (whatever that means) I had no compelling reason for writing another book.By the year 2010, I had been writing for 12 years. I'd had a handful of short stories published and even got paid for one of them. Twice. I had written a novel, Devolution, and published it as an e-book through a fee for service online publisher but it was as successful as ice cream in Antartica. I was proud of my achievement but I wanted more. I wanted readers and lots of them. I self published a paperback version of Devolution which out sold the e-book by five times but I did not want to do that again. I wanted an editor to read my manuscript and tell me they loved it and sign me up for a publishing deal. This is what all writers want. Yes, we write because we love the art but we want readers.
Why then with nothing but a story to tell and a dream of many people reading it, did I write Loathe Your Neighbour? I wrote it because I had to. More than two years later, Jeanne Haskin at Artema Press has delivered half my dream: a publishing contract. The other half? I still don't know what the trick is to attracting readers. Maybe there is no trick. Popularity is not a reflection of quality. There's a video on YouTube of a girl in a tight black dress brushing her teeth which has received tens of thousand of views.
I'm proud of Loathe Your Neighbor and I hope lots of people read and enjoy it. I wouldn't mind making a little money out of it as well. Neither would Artema Press. But even if it doesn't fly, if it doesn't sell up a storm, I'll write another novel. I can't help it. I'm a dreamer and I love writing stories.
January 2, 2013
Faded Dreams
The latest work from the pen of my niece:
Faded Dreams by Amber Gilfillan
Hi, my name is April. I'm 12 years old. My dreams are the most magical things that happen to me. I'm also a chatterbox but don't worry, I'll keep quiet. Shhh...I'm going to start the story of how all the dreams changed. One night when everyone was asleep, I was having a wonderful dream until it turned into a nightmare.
I scream, then suddenly wake up. 'Okay, calm down April,' I say to myself.
The next morning, I walk up to the mayor and say, 'Mayor, did you have a nightmare last night?'
'Yes,' he bellows.
I think for a minute. 'Yes, I've got it!' I scream. I tell the mayor, I'm going outside town and he says okay. I set off to find the lost dreams.
Soon, I reach a castle. 'What? Stick people holding swords?' I whisper. I start to get closer and closer until I am right in front of them. I jump over them and find myself in front of a gigantic door. I go inside. Next thing I know, I'm in front of the king. I tell him to stop taking my town's dreams.'
'No,' he shouts.
'Okay, I'll just tell everyone your real name. Fred Foffof,' I tease.
'No,' he screams.
'Fine, but you have to give all the sweet dreams back,' I say, and he agrees.
Then I went home. I also got a medal and a crown for finding the town's lost dreams.
Faded Dreams by Amber Gilfillan
Hi, my name is April. I'm 12 years old. My dreams are the most magical things that happen to me. I'm also a chatterbox but don't worry, I'll keep quiet. Shhh...I'm going to start the story of how all the dreams changed. One night when everyone was asleep, I was having a wonderful dream until it turned into a nightmare.
I scream, then suddenly wake up. 'Okay, calm down April,' I say to myself.
The next morning, I walk up to the mayor and say, 'Mayor, did you have a nightmare last night?'
'Yes,' he bellows.
I think for a minute. 'Yes, I've got it!' I scream. I tell the mayor, I'm going outside town and he says okay. I set off to find the lost dreams.
Soon, I reach a castle. 'What? Stick people holding swords?' I whisper. I start to get closer and closer until I am right in front of them. I jump over them and find myself in front of a gigantic door. I go inside. Next thing I know, I'm in front of the king. I tell him to stop taking my town's dreams.'
'No,' he shouts.
'Okay, I'll just tell everyone your real name. Fred Foffof,' I tease.'No,' he screams.
'Fine, but you have to give all the sweet dreams back,' I say, and he agrees.
Then I went home. I also got a medal and a crown for finding the town's lost dreams.
December 29, 2012
A Few of my Favourite Things
Near the dawn of a new year, and with apologies to Julie Andrews, I would like to present a few of my favourite things in 2012: the best of what tickles/tickled my fancy.
Best music: The much anticipated release from the legendary POD, Murdered Love ticked all the boxes and was definitely worth the wait. Despite lacking a killer signature track like Boom, it delivers hunger satisfying flavours from punk rock to reggae with nice chunky crunchy bits, and passionate poetry. A work of art from the Boys from Southtown.
Best in Sport 1: As the leading runs scorer in test cricket in 2012, Australian captain, Michael Clarke, astounded cricket fans with four double centuries and a triple. He finished the year with another 100 in the massacre of Sri Lanka in the Boxing Day test in Melbourne. A craftsman with the bat, and an aggressive captain, Clarke may well lead Australia into a new Golden Age.
Best in Sport 2: The Canterbury Bulldogs splurged on a new coach and he proved to be the buy of the year. Turning the Bulldogs from inconsistent underachievers to competition heavyweights in the blink of an eye with a revolutionary style of forward play, Des Hasler led the team to the Grand Final without a specialist halfback. The Bulldogs may have lost the decider but they will be the team to beat in 2013.
[image error] Best Movie: It's hard to remember a whole year of movies, so one of my all time favourites, and arguably the greatest move franchise of all time, James Bond gets the nod. Skyfall is classic Bond delivered by the director with all the panache of modern film making. It was everything I hoped for: cars, guns, chases, locations, stunts , a sicko villain and the best on screen explosion I've seen since The Matrix.
Best book: I only read one five star book in 2012: Perry Angel's Suitcase. I stumbled across it by accident and although it is a children's novel, it moved me deeply with its simple yet powerful prose. An inspirational and delightful story.
I thought it looked like a nice story for my daughter when I saw it on the shelf at our local library, but I'm pretty sure I enjoyed more than she did.
Best Blog post (by me): This was
really hard: easily the most difficult decision I had to make. Finally, after perusing my posts for the year, and making a shortlist, I elected The Death Penalty Upsized (September 28). If I was famous and had millions, even hundreds would do, of followers I would put it to a vote. But I reckon this one is a beauty and it did provoke some passionate comments. http://dacairns.blogspot.com.au/2012_...
And so ends a successful year for me professionally. The release of my debut novel, Devolution, in paperback, 15 short stories accepted for publication, and a publishing contract for my second novel, Loathe Your Neighbour. I wish you all success, however you define it, good health and happiness in 2013.
Best music: The much anticipated release from the legendary POD, Murdered Love ticked all the boxes and was definitely worth the wait. Despite lacking a killer signature track like Boom, it delivers hunger satisfying flavours from punk rock to reggae with nice chunky crunchy bits, and passionate poetry. A work of art from the Boys from Southtown.
Best in Sport 1: As the leading runs scorer in test cricket in 2012, Australian captain, Michael Clarke, astounded cricket fans with four double centuries and a triple. He finished the year with another 100 in the massacre of Sri Lanka in the Boxing Day test in Melbourne. A craftsman with the bat, and an aggressive captain, Clarke may well lead Australia into a new Golden Age.
Best in Sport 2: The Canterbury Bulldogs splurged on a new coach and he proved to be the buy of the year. Turning the Bulldogs from inconsistent underachievers to competition heavyweights in the blink of an eye with a revolutionary style of forward play, Des Hasler led the team to the Grand Final without a specialist halfback. The Bulldogs may have lost the decider but they will be the team to beat in 2013.[image error] Best Movie: It's hard to remember a whole year of movies, so one of my all time favourites, and arguably the greatest move franchise of all time, James Bond gets the nod. Skyfall is classic Bond delivered by the director with all the panache of modern film making. It was everything I hoped for: cars, guns, chases, locations, stunts , a sicko villain and the best on screen explosion I've seen since The Matrix.
Best book: I only read one five star book in 2012: Perry Angel's Suitcase. I stumbled across it by accident and although it is a children's novel, it moved me deeply with its simple yet powerful prose. An inspirational and delightful story.I thought it looked like a nice story for my daughter when I saw it on the shelf at our local library, but I'm pretty sure I enjoyed more than she did.
Best Blog post (by me): This was
really hard: easily the most difficult decision I had to make. Finally, after perusing my posts for the year, and making a shortlist, I elected The Death Penalty Upsized (September 28). If I was famous and had millions, even hundreds would do, of followers I would put it to a vote. But I reckon this one is a beauty and it did provoke some passionate comments. http://dacairns.blogspot.com.au/2012_...And so ends a successful year for me professionally. The release of my debut novel, Devolution, in paperback, 15 short stories accepted for publication, and a publishing contract for my second novel, Loathe Your Neighbour. I wish you all success, however you define it, good health and happiness in 2013.
December 20, 2012
A Note to Party Poopers
Christmas Day is only four days away. What's your party count up to? How many Christmas functions and gatherings have you attended? Are you loving it? The eating, the drinking, the Christmas cheer, the exchanging of gifts and good wishes? I hope you are enjoying every minute of it. I hope you can put aside the feeling that it's all a bit much. I hope you aren't whining about the necessity of showing up at "another Christmas party", the busyness, the crowded malls, the searching for and purchasing of gifts, the drain on the budget, the effort, the hassle. I hope you aren't grumbling about the commercialization of Christmas or the forced congeniality of family get togethers. I hope you aren't writing Christmas off as only being a magical time for children. I hope you aren't wishing it was all over and bah humbugging everything to do with the festive season. I hope you aren't a mean spirited Scrooge. I hope that's not you.
If that it is you, then snap out of it! Even if you don't believe that forgiveness and new life in Jesus Christ is the greatest gift any of us has ever been given, and I absolutely believe it is, then at least acknowledge that Christmas is a time when we can focus on what is good. It's a time of hope and thanksgiving. A time to be treasured. Randy Stonehill sang in one of his songs, "Christmas isn't just a day, and all days aren't the same." Actually I'm glad we have a Christmas season rather than just one day.So you've been to a hundred Christmas parties and you're full when you arrive and stuffed when you leave. Big deal, you credit card's in the red and you're not getting enough sleep. So what if it's all getting a bit much. Get into it! Celebrate! Love life and be thankful. Spread a little Christmas goodwill and don't forget to thank God for sending Jesus to save us. Merry Christmas everyone.
December 13, 2012
Tongue Tied
If you speak and/or are literate in a language other than the one you learned from your parents when you were a child - then you will understand. If you are monolingual then you won't. If you were pulled out of school after only a few years, or never even started because your parents could not afford to have you not working, or because there was no school due to a marauding militia burning it to the ground and murdering your teacher -then you will understand. If you started school around the age of 4 or 5 and completed at least 10 - 12 years of uninterrupted education, then you won't. If you fit into the first of those categories, you will understand how difficult it can be to move to a new country, learn the language and find employment. If you work in a government office in one of those nations which receive refugees and asylum seekers, then you won't.
In Australia, one of the services we provide to migrants is English language training. The government operates two main programs. The Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and the Language, Literacy and Numeracy Program (LLNP). The AMEP focuses on new migrants and offers 510 hours of free instruction. The LLNP focuses on employability skills and the hugely important role of literacy. It offers 800 hours of free instruction in four 200 hour blocks.In order to progress from one block of training to the next in the LLNP, students have to demonstrate improvement in two different macro skills. For example, reading and writing. For each of these outcomes students must supply two pieces of evidence from two different text types. In other words, to show that they can write, they might have to write a recount and a letter. To prove they can read that might have to read a description and an information text and answer questions on both.
[image error] This can be incredibly hard work both for the student and their teacher, especially for older students who have never been to school and who are not literate in their native language, but also for students with learning disabilities. Throw in a range of medical problems which result in memory and concentration problems, as well as frequent visits to doctors. Add some attitudinal problems related sometimes to culture and other times to personality, and you will begin to get a clearer picture of what goes on in English language classrooms around the country.
The system, the LLNP, is quantifiable results based and driven by the bottom line: you guessed it, money. It is largely incompatible with the needs and abilities of low level English learners. It is apparently run by bureaucrats with little understanding of people, nor of any principles of language learning. The fact is that no matter how adept the teacher is or how hard the student tries, anything more than extremely modest improvements in English language skills will remain elusive for a large number, even a majority, of refugees. The insistence on a certain level of improvement is a denial of reality.
December 7, 2012
But for the grace of God
Last night I watched a great piece of television drama. Episode 227 of the multi award winning cop show, Blue Heelers. The episode called "The grace of God" focused on the murder of a police officer while on duty, the reactions of his family and his colleagues, and the subsequent hunt for his killer. One of the reasons Blue Heelers was such a popular series is that it was a very realistic portrayal of the lives of a group of police officers in a country town, but as real and as intense as this show and especially this episode were, in the end it was only fiction. Made for entertainment.
Two days ago in Sydney a feud between neighbours about a bird aviary allegedly caused a violent altercation which resulted in the death of police Inspector Bryson Anderson. The 45 year old veteran was well known and well respected in his local community where he was heavily involved in charity work. Described by NSW police chief, Andrew Scipione as an excellent officer and a damn fine bloke, Anderson responded to a phone call about arrows being fired into someone's backyard by their neighbours. Within moments of arriving at the scene he was struck in the back of the head with a knife and died a short time later.I feel incredibly sad and heavy hearted as I write this. These kinds of stories are shocking and depressing. However, I am not the wife of Inspector Bryson Anderson, who kissed him goodbye as he went to work but never saw him alive again. Nor am I one of his children who will have to grow up without their father because of a completely unjustified act of violence. I'm not one of Inspector Anderson's friends or colleagues, the latter saying to themselves that it could have been them, but for the grace of God.
When those whose job it is to protect us are killed in the line of duty, we all feel vulnerable. Police don't simply maintain order in society, they represent it. They do not merely enforce the law, they symbolize it. More than doing their best to keep our streets safe, they personify security, they epitomize safety. I don't know how they do it but I'm glad they are there, and they have my undying respect and gratitude.
