Caught with my pants down


After re-reading my first chapter, I am somewhat ashamed of myself. It’s not very good. But it gets better. I want things to be funnier, but I’m not very good at making up comedy without a straight man to set me up.

Anyway, today I found myself leaping around with my axe down crazy ice covered side hill landscape. I descended into marshy black spruce with light fluffy old man’s beard. I plucked a bunch of it and lit the rager to end all ragers. I could see my smoke signals rising from 30km away even after we picked up all four other guys. While I was flying, I realized that I don’t play my guitar that much anymore. And I thought, I’ve got to stop swinging this axe and start swinging my axe. I thought that was pretty funny. Anyway, comedy show tonight and then an early bed time. I will scribble a little more into my text edit document and then hit the hay. Hope everyone else is having as much fun as I am. Or at least isn’t going insane.

NaNoWriMo from the North


Editor’s Note: Last week Tim Dallimore told us a little bit about his NaNoWriMo 2010 project, which I believe is untitled for the time being, and now he has checked in from Dawson City with the first draft of the first chapter. Anyone who knows Tim will not be surprised to learn that it opens on a flirtatious moment with a pretty girl and ends with an over-the-top occurrence. Read on and enjoy! Continue reading “NaNoWriMo from the North”

Writing at night, hiking at dawn

Things have taken a strange turn for me here in Dawson City. I had to move outta my trailer and into the BO GO MO (Bonanza Gold Motel). It’s been a good first night. The temperature was consistent, the bed was soft, and there was room for my clothes to not be on me while I slept. I spent last night writing, and then went to breakfast at 7 am. Our days are getting shorter and shorter, which means I have more time to write. However, the internet connection here is phenomenally crappy. My original story idea was completely tossed aside and I began a new story loosely based on my life when I was in Toronto. You might notice yourself appearing in my story. I do not apologize. Anyway, I plan for my character to take a dramatic turn into crime or at least arson. I’ll be holed up in my room for the next 15 days with nothing but pizza, beer, granola bars and my new mac book pro running text edit and dictionary. I’m behind on my words per day at the moment, but I have ideas coming. Hopefully this story isn’t the worst ever, but I won’t be heart broken if it is. More later from our main character: Sean Steven. And maybe even a chapter for the leading lady: Sophie Smith. Or maybe even a chapter from our buddy across the bridge: Dillinger. Hope to read some more of everyone else’s endeavors as well.

Recap at the Outset

And so it has begun! NaNoWriMo 2010 is already twelve hours in, and I know more than a few people got started at the stroke of midnight. It’s going to be an interesting month.

There’s been a lot going on here at Stranger Than Truth in the past couple weeks, with our writing team ballooning to nearly a dozen—plus injuries, rivalries and more. So I thought now would be a good time to give a quick recap, in case you’ve missed any of the drama or the great short fiction that we’ve been posting in its wake. Read on and familiarize yourself with the incomparable team that is Stranger Than Truth.
Continue reading “Recap at the Outset”

A Normal Day

Editor’s Note: Though we firmly believe fiction is Stranger Than Truth, we never said there aren’t some pretty badass truths out there—like a day in the life of contributor Tim Dallimore, who lives and works in the Yukon.

I like to eat pop tarts in the morning. A few months ago I decided I was going to go all caveman on everyone’s ass, and part of that meant not ever making myself good meals. Also it included not shaving ever or cutting my hair. Anyway, I woke up and tossed a couple of pop tarts into the toaster. Then I ate a bagel with cream cheese and a bowl of fruit loops. Enough about breakfast. I eat a lot. Mostly garbage. Then me and Tom got into the burb (the Suburban truck). We drove it to the other dudes’ houses and picked them up. We all got coffee and juice from the Gas station. Then I went to Shannon’s house to get my Shan-wich.

We all went to the compound. I got my shit ready in the gear shed. That means I cut a bunch of pieces of wire and sharpened my axe. My axe needs to be sharp enough to skin a bear. I walked back into the office at the compound and got my map. It shows me where the mountains will be during my day. We drove out to the chopper pad, which happens to be pretty far away these days. So there are the five of us, driving down the Yukon highway listening to Rammstien. I usually like to listen to the Batman theme by Danny Elfman to get pumped, but I guess today was a day for Rammstien. Finally we reached the helipad. We had to roll a bunch of Jet “B” fuel out of the truck and get it ready for the chopper if he wanted to fuel up. I spent my time waiting for the chopper saying things in a British accent.

Continue reading “A Normal Day”

Hello from the Yukon

Hey Everyone. The winter is here. Maybe not for you guys, but for me it is. There has been snow on the ground for months already and the sun rarely comes out. I’ve been working 7 days a week now since August and its starting to drain on me. However, since the sun is so scarce, we are cutting back on work and it looks like I’ll have some free time and some money to throw around in the next few months.

My job means that I am constantly having adventures. As a kid I used to canoe around my parents cottage and imagine that I lived in the woods. I guess I lost that part of myself at some point and I became a city slicker. Anyway, now I’m back into the bush and I’m loving it. I use my axe all day long for making posts (which are used to identify a land claim) and for chopping down trees. I’ve gotten really good at chopping down a tree because I have to clear so many out for the helicopter to come and pick me up at the end of the day. Often I find myself pushing through thick alder trees or leaping over dead fall. Last week I ran into a bull moose. I waited for him to walk away and then continued my day. He was a big guy.

Anyway, I’m back in town for this month and taking days off and I’m hoping to write some stories. My real life is probably more wild then any story I could write, so I may include some truths as well. I like what I’m reading here and I look forward to reading more of everyone’s work.

— your good buddy Tim