You may have noticed, though probably not, that I haven’t been keeping up with blogging and all the responsibilities implicit in that activity. One reason is I’ve been trying to finish Flipka II and it has been a struggle. I set out to try to clear up confusion some readers had with the ending and ended up adding almost 200 more pages. So, it’s definitely not going to be a repub of the first book but an entirely different beast. 
One of my favorite reviews of the first edition of Flipka was from a charming writer named Robin Chambers who has written a series of science fiction novels, The Myrddin’s Heir series, for “children of all ages.” He wrote:
48% into the book, the plot went into hyperspace; but you go with it because you’re on the same spaceship, boldly going where maybe no author has gone before…
The wacky, utterly unbelievable plot is, however, merely the vehicle for JT Twissel to demonstrate her enviable skill set. Highly knowledgeable in a number of disciplines, she is very well read (I’m a sucker for literary references), sharply observant when it comes to individual character definitions, with a wickedly dry sense of humour and a wonderful command of language. 59% into the book you will meet the very likeable pilot Captain Wug, capable of such sentences as “May I ask, mellifluous one, why you want to know about the miasma behind our legendary monadnock?” The entire review is on the Flipka under Reviews
I was delighted with his review, of course, but “utterly unbelievable plot” I took slight umbrage with. A story’s got to have a believable plot, right?
And so I tried to insert “believability” into my plot which was impossible in the era of Trump. I guess because believable is somewhat associated with sanity and we certainly don’t have a lot of that going round.
It was a fool’s mission, friends. However, Fi Butters does get to the bottom of the mystery that the CIA, ICE, FAA or Federation of Planets is so anxious to protect.
The second reason I haven’t been blogging is that I’m planning a trip. Some people are Anglophiles and some are Francophiles but I am a Canophile. My favorite singer/songwriters (Gordon Lightfoot, Leonard Cohen) are from Canada as are many of my favorite actors. 
Last but not least, my favorite book as a child (Anne of Green Gables) was set in Canada. So I’m planning a trip to Nova Scotia and boy oh boy, if you think my plots are wacky and unbelievable, so are the trips I plan. I’ve got us flying into Montreal, taking an overnight train to Halifax, biking all over Prince Edward Island, flying back to Montreal and then taking an overnight train down to NYC. Already I’ve spent quite a bundle and we don’t even have places to stay. Or any idea where to eat. The last time I went to Montreal I was a poor college kid and we lived on canned soup. Our entertainment was wandering around Mt. Royal.
So I’m asking all my Canadian buddies for suggestions. What are the things we shouldn’t miss? Foods we must try. Fun places to stay.
Many thanks in advance.
Saying nothing in particular 
Oh Jan…good luck on second act. I always like Flipka. The title is worth the price of admission. What is to become of us? There is the easy answer and the hard one. The hard one is better. It’s more interesting, more unexpected…we just need to look inside, way down there. Your old pal, Duke.
We’re both in the ghost disposal business. Where are we going to dump them? In the poisoned sea or the burning mountains? Or perhaps in the clouds. Or the sea fog? I prefer the clouds and fog. They might drift over somebody someplace and spark one of those thousand lights to the sky. I guess that’s what will happen to us. It’s not a bad ending.
I am so jealous 🤢, have fun, sorry I can’t help 💜💜
No worries!
🌹💜
Happy travels, Canophile. Can’t help though. Wrong nationality.
Thanks JB!
Poutine if that’s how it spelt. We became quite the experts esp at the gourmet end but that was west coast. How does the gravy and cheese translate East? We need to know
I’ll let you know Geoff!
Sounds like a wonderful trip to me.
I hope so! Thanks for the reblog!
Reblogged this on glynhockey.
Hi. Your trip sounds like it will be a blast. I’ve always wanted to see PEI. Not sure if I’ll get there in this lifetime though.
Have fun!
Neil S.
It isn’t that easy to reach! After our trip to England my husband doesn’t want to drive in any foreign country even Canada! So your choices are to fly on an itty bitty jet, take a cruise or a train that only runs 3 times a week!
I like the word, Canophile. It rolls off the tongue and I might be on the way to being one. Your vacay plans sound fun, albeit with an involved itinerary. But you get to see Anne of Green Gables’s stomping ground so it’ll definitely be worth it. Safe travels.
Thanks Ally. Yeah, they’re complicated but it was the only way to visit everyplace we wanted to go.
Be it Canon or Canada you phile, I wish you a most excellent travel. 🙂 Europe is not bad either, you know. We’ve got so many countries you can hop between. Maybe one day, you never know with you. 😉 And good luck with your book, especially with believability. You’re right, not only it’s overrated, but nobody knows any more what it means.
I spent a year in Europe so I know it’s wonderful! Maybe next time we decide to leave home.
Hi Jan. I like the review. It’s quite mindful. Your book sounds marvelous. What you describe is a huge effort. My real “first” novel is a 700 page high fantasy epic (unpublished). There are a couple of not so big things I want to change. However, those things have an impact throughout the very large book. So I haven’t risen to that challenge. Hopefully one day…
Have fun planning your Canadian vacation. Hugs!
Thank you Teagan! 700 pages, wow.
I’d go back to Quebec and Nova Scotia in an instant! I absolutely loved them both.
Good luck getting your sequel out, but the trip, you won’t need luck for that 🙂
Never heard of a ‘Canophile’
before, Jan.
I’ll have to file that one away
in my phile-ing cabinet.
Ha! I think I made it up.