Ad - Wednesday, September 12, 1984 - North Shore News strictly personal by Bob Hunter named Sylvia Fraser. Blonde. Toronto. Older. Said she liked my work. So naturally I loved her. At the time, she was in- volved in a bizarre Me- Clelland & Stewart) promo- tional stunt to hype a novel she'd just) published about the Roman Empire, or, more properly, about herself pro- jected into Roman times. Which is of course what an awtul lot of “‘serious’’ novels mostly are, semiautobio- graphical fantasies. Anyway, Sylvia had guts. | winced when we met because she was clad (or almost clad) in a wispy toga. She was being carried about by two husky young men dressed as slaves. The indignity of it all! 1 nodded my head sourly to a friend later. God, the things a writer has to go through to get published. Oh well, at least she had got published. Recently | read a sad tale about Sylvia, who will have a new book out in October. It has already been described by Margaret Laurence as *‘compelling courageous ... brilhant.’' It took her six years (O write it. She was sustained through the darkest hours by the Canada Council. But that wasn’t quite enough. She is in the process of selling off her disposable belongings. She can't pay the rent. I guess nobody told you the news, Sylvia. Dead novels REMEMBER MEETING a novelist of money. Pathetic amounts. But the jiggle of coin was in the air. I got excited. Since the book would be - based on an_ historical character, it could be written as biograpny or ficuon. Take your pick. The advantage of fiction 1s that yau can get closer to the truth. When you're dealing with facts, you’re handcuff- ‘*The Great Canadian novel was a way Of life for a lot of us. The novel is dead in Canada. That's right. D-E- A-D. I have this on the authority of the chief executive of one of Canada’s largest publishing houses, who shall go unnamed because the con- versation was private. We were talking over a deal involving a book. I'l have to go to England to do the research. There was talk ed. Besides, fiction is art. Nonfiction, at best, is a craft. Quoth the editor: ‘‘Forget fiction. It’s dead. The booksellers just aren't interested. "’ Oh. | see. Sorry, Sylvia. Sorry all you folks out there taking writing classes. Stick ta postcards. Or get into movies. The cruel wind blowing from Toronto speaks of doom. Authentic PRIVATE INTERESTS doom. This ig surely worth a foot- note. Wasn’t the Great Cana- dian Novel an institution? For instance, what newspaperman doesn’t have one in him? What self- respecting romantic youth? What housewife? I mean, the Great Cana- dian Novel was a way of life tor a lot of us. Either you were going to quit your job and write it or maybe even. . leave Fred & The Kids and write 1s, but write it you must! Gee, when I think of all the people 1 know who either plan to write novels or tried to write novels or dream of writing novels or actually even wrote novels, | wonder if they’re going to commit mass suicide? Might as well. Either that or tind something else to do tn life. Me, I’m all right. | got my novel out of my = system before they became extinct. But | sure feel sorry for the next generation. It comes as no surprise to learn that the average book income of Canadian writers is $1,050 a year. In some countries you could feed a family on that, but = aside from Haiti, I’m not sure where. Look to the movies, my children. Get into fibre op- tics. Learn a useful skill like recycling. Whatever you do, don’t bother writing a novel in Canada. No market. Oh well, there's always hockey, eh? Cypress deal near, vit. Seymour next A REPRESENTATIVE of a Vancouver manage ment firm says word is expected on the sale of the C yvpress Bowl ski tacilities | By MARK HAMILTON | Alden Donnoley ot Thorne, Stevenson and Kellogg, the Company han diing the sale for the provin cial government, said a deal for the right to operate the skit facilities at Cypress pretty well losed as The tacilities at) Cypress are being put amto private hands as the result of the provincial government's decision to cut ifs Operating costs by ‘privatizing’ oa naomber of recreational operations throughout tty province Neatooon the sales block will be the Mount Seyrnoue shi facility on North Van couver but oso far. the pro Sincial government is only “any day now" interested tn one purchaser Hic os Earl Pletsch. the man who has operated the facility under oa permit for the past 20 vears That per mit expires at the end of thus month Negotiations Pletsch and the provincial government are also handled by Thorne. son and Kellogg Neither the Cypress Bowl of Mount Seymour between being Steven sales in volve any Jand but both on volve a number of Facilities telated fo winter time ski Opclalons Ino othe case of Me Seymour, Che package would melude the ski parking lot lodge and other burbdinags Barter this yeas thre toos lifts calctetia we strpailaae Process an Piste niet sap Dr. Myron New patients welcome oye KA MacDonald wishes tO amnoune ec thre reloc ation Of MUS Offi ete #104 2419 Bellevue Ave. West Vancouver 922 G22 1 the sale of Manning Park ski Operdhions FO oa Consortium Chilliwack and Pentiton businessmen tor $800 GOO and two per cent of ne One of Hope, - FEELING FAT? 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