leilani's gift
a
mystic/autistic quest
for love
From
St. John’s
to Surrey, Toronto to Tuktoyaktuk—
this is one man's
life-changing journey.
Can
a
trip across Canada mend a broken soul? In a journey filled
with heartache and healing, Vern Nicholson intends to find out.
Crossing the nation from sea to sea to sea,
Vern transforms his home and
native land into a roving analyst's couch, weaving a trail of
discovery along the way. From Yonge Street to Main Street to the
open tundra, experience the adventure as he comes face to
face with his country, his demons, and ultimately, his hope.In the summer and fall of 2003 I spent three months travelling across Canada, mostly by train and bus. Yes, it was an amazing (and audacious) journey, as you'll see when the book hits the shelves. Nearly six years of intensive, full-on work has resulted in a manuscript which is currently in its final editing stages. To whet your appetite, I offer the provisional table of contents. Excerpts to follow (likely in 2011).
1 Train Whistle Blues (The Beginning)
2 A Make-Believe Marriage (Newfoundland and Labrador)
3 Talk About the Passion (Nova Scotia)
4 Introducing Sid (New Brunswick)
5 To Sir, with Love (Prince Edward Island)
6 Trop de fantômes (Québec)
7 The Long Way Home (Nunavut)
8 I Am Troubled by Static (Ontario)
9 Mermaid Smiled (Manitoba)
10 Why Did van Gogh Paint? (Saskatchewan)
11 Postcards from Midnight (Northwest Territories)
12 The United States of Canada (Yukon Territory)
13 Which Way Does the Wind Blow? (Alberta)
14 No Way West (British Columbia)
15 The Number Two Lepers' Lounge (The End)
16 Leilani's Gift (The Beginning)
Everything Is the Opposite of What It Is (Epilogue)