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We were out walking the dogs today when I spotted a pair of jets flying overhead. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t have garnered much interest, but they were, in fact, military aircraft. London (Ontario, that is) hosts the International Test Pilots School. In addition, this company has a subsidiary, the International Tactical Training Centre (ITTC). They train pilots from all over the world in a variety of different programs, using AERO L-39 trainers, better known as the Albatros.
This Czechoslovakian design (now the Czech Republic) is one of the most widely used jet trainers in existence. Over thirty different air forces worldwide employ it as well as a number of civilian organizations (of which ITTC is one). By the way, it’s not a typo, Albatros is spelled in the Czech manner, with only one ‘s’. Interesting what you can discover when paying attention to your surroundings. Until next time, happy reading!
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Carol and I were out for our usual morning walk this week, and she reminded me it is two years since I became a full-time author. Wow, has the time ever flown by fast, yet there is still so much left to write!
Having always wanted to be a writer, my journey to get to where I am today began many years ago. I’ve been running Role-Playing Games (RPG’s) almost my entire life. One of the things that attracted me to them was the ability to use my imagination and form a narrative. This led to me developing ever more complicated plotlines and worlds, leading, perhaps inevitably, to writing my own stories. I tried writing a full-length book a few times over the years, but never quite got to the point where I was satisfied with the results. I think what finally convinced me to actually finish my first book was a combination of factors, some of which are largely attributed to technology. The ability to convert anything I wrote to an epub was one such step. I can still remember the thrill of opening up my own story on my Kobo and seeing the words in front of me. The second technological improvement was the ability to self-publish, an option that wasn’t really viable when I was younger (except maybe for fanzines, which I actually did.) Outside of tech, there were two significant influences. First, and perhaps most influential, was the encouragement and support of my wife, Carol. Without her insistence, these stories would have languished on my computer for all eternity. The second was when I finally learned how to create an outline before actually beginning to write. It’s now been two years since I gave up my ‘regular’ job and became an author full time, and I can honestly say it was well worth it. |
AuthorPaul Bennett, Writer of Epic Fantasy Adventures. Archives
September 2023
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