Go North (cough cough) Young Man

 By MJ Preston

     Last year I ventured into the Northwest Territories to experience what it would be like to run the infamous Ice-roads as an Ice Road Trucker. When I got there I discovered that  the NWT is likely one of the most beautiful places on earth in the winter.  The sky is awash pastel colors and the night aglow with the majesty of the Northern Lights and I didn't regret it one bit, but in all honesty I decided to go ahead with this adventure for a number of reasons, but mainly for the following:

• I needed the money;
• I was thinking about walking away from the trucking industry and thought seeing the North would be nice way to finish my career; and
• I needed a little perspective and running up there afforded me the time to do some personal inventory and serious reflection.

From the drivers seat of the Blue Western Star

     A year later I am getting ready to do it all over again and from there I'm not sure where I will go, but I do know that this year will be different then the last.

     Going North also became the seed from which my new novel is growing quite rapidly. Unfortunately, once I get up onto the ice, I will not be able to write or do all the other extra-curricular such as hanging with the folks at Dark Discussions or getting into a book or two. So Acadia Event will be put down for awhile, at least in the conventional sense. I will not be pounding away on the keyboard, but I may use my voice recognition program for all the little eureka moments I tend to have when I'm driving.

     What I will be doing again this year is donning my camera and taking a whole hockey sock, excuse the pun, of new pictures. I've got a brand new tripod I'm dying to try out and I've gained a little more experience with the equipment. So that should fun.

The now retired Mackenzie Ferry crossing in low water conditions

     Hopefully, by the time I get back my website will be back up to par. This has been a shitty year in technology. The attack (unprovoked I might add) on my website completely screwed up everything I was putting together this year which included podcasting THE EQUINOX. Then four days ago my laptop took a nose dive and I was forced to format it. Thankfully I had all the important stuff backed up, but I lost a whole bunch of music and pretty much every email address I didn't know by heart. To add insult to injury I sent a collective email out to everyone before zero hour and managed to screw up the address. At any rate my website email is back up and running if you need to contact me and I'll add you to my address book. Again.

     Send your email to mjprestonATmjpreston.net

A view from the diamond mine. Maintenance Building

     So in 2013 I have some short term goals. First of all I want to be home more, I haven't figured out if that facilitates a move or a change of career. I guess we'll figure it out. I'm going to have Acadia Event ready for publication this year and I am going to start back on two books waiting in the wings. One is a thriller horror called: 4 and the other straight book based loosely on my own life.

     I also want to get back to doing the things I enjoy doing. I've only been on board three times with the guys at Dark Discussions, but I want to join them at their roundtable when they'll have me. These folks are first rate and knowledgeable? Man they put me to shame. Philip, Eric, and Mike, you guys rock.
     I'll also be downloading the podcasts I have come to know and love. Dark Discussions,  The Askancity Podcast and few new ones as well like Scary Scribes and Horror Etc.  The folks on these sites, among others, will be joining me as I run across the barrens just south of the Arctic Circle.

     So that about wraps for this blog up. Happy New Year to all, may 2013 be all you want it to be.

*** 

MJ Preston is the Author of the Horror Novel: THE EQUINOX

His new novel ACADIA EVENT is forecasted for release in late 

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