Dolores Kivi of Thunder Bay, Ontario, sends exciting news that her short memoir titled “Until Death Do Us Part” (title may change) has been accepted for publication in The Globe and Mail ‘s “Facts and Arguments” section in time for Valentine’s Day 2009. It’s scheduled to appear Friday, February 13. The piece traces Dolores’s relationship with her late husband, Alf, from the time of their romantic meeting during the Second World War through sixty-two years together.
Dolores is currently working on a book-length memoir about their relationship that incorporates letters she received from her husband when he was stationed overseas during part of their courtship. Dolores has participated in several of my online writing workshops.
Message from Dolores:Thanks, Allyson!I think you must be a bit of a psychic as well as a great teacher because your Happy 2009, keeping in touch, e-mail came the same days as the wonderful news from the Globe and Mail. You must recall that it was you, some months ago, who first suggested submitting an essay to their Facts & Arguments section.I'm afraid I was slow getting around to it but last fall I did make a number of special little trips to buy weekday Globes because, as you know, the feature is published only Monday to Friday. I've been getting the Saturday edition delivered since I moved to Thunder Bay but there are no arrangements here for weekday delivery. Of course they are available at numerous outlets from supermarkets to corner stores. I collected about 20 of them and studied them for style and topics. They comprise a fascinating selection of first person experiences.I'm like the kid in the candy shop looking forward to this Friday the 13th – considering the date I suppose I should cross my fingers nothing goes wrong. I'm thrilled about looking forward to a byline in the Globe and Mail again. I had some travel features published close to 20 years ago but not doing much remote travelling the past years had not submitted anything more to them. I started writing the piece nearly three weeks ago and revised it at least eight or nine times – there's a word restriction of from 800 to 1000 words. When I felt I had got it as good as I might (but of course thought differently later) I let it rest for two or three days, did a final edit and sent it on its way. To me it will be wonderful tribute to the love which Alf and I shared because, if he had not died in 2004, we would have been celebrating 63 years on the ninth of this month.Allyson, the memoir courses and your helpful, personal mentoring have been a help and an inspiration. I have such warm memories also of the interactions with your other students. Hello and my best to you all. Keep writing!Dolores