PAT PARKER
Born: London, England
Age: "I was born in 19-mumble-mumble."
Family: Five children, two grandchildren
Occupation: Retired real estate broker
Favourite authors: John Le Carr
Writing background: "I've always been interested in writing. I had little time when I was working to do it. Always wanted to. But there were just other things that I precluded the time from doing it. I guess it would be seven or eight years ago that I really started writing. I wrote memoirs, first of all, for my grandchildren, really. And then continued writing since then."
How often he writes: "Not on a daily basis, but damn close."
Where he writes: "I have what I call 'world headquarters,' which is my favourite chair in the front room. ... I'll often sit there and get out my laptop and just start writing. It's almost like a need."
Preferred style: I think I'm eclectic. I mean I'm not into science fiction or anything like that, but I like fiction, and of course I did non-fiction with the memoir. But I would say story-writing in general.On the inspiration for his submission: "I was in the service myself for a few years, so maybe it just came from there. Most of my time I served in Berlin. It was during the Cold War ... so I know how important it is when you're a serviceman to get letters from home."
HIS SUBMISSION: DEAR MOM
Dear Mom,
I'm writing this letter very slowly as I know you can't read fast. (ha ha)
I got the newspaper you sent to me last week from the island. It takes quite a while to get to us here in Kabul.
It's as I sit here off duty that I think of you and dad on the coast. It's a world away from here in Afghanistan. I sure hope the big guys back home know what they're doing. We had to take out a bridge last week to stop the bad guys from attacking the village.
One of our guys got hurt and I guess he'll be sent home. We have this daily plane ferry to Germany and from there we have flights back home.
I sure miss you guys, does the seal still show up for feeding each day at the dock?
I hear that our tour will be over soon and I'll be coming home. I can tell you one thing, I'll never look at a grain of sand the same way again. When we get a wind storm over here the sand gets in everything - and I mean everything.
Give my love to Sandy, I guess my little sister isn't so little any more, I want to meet that boyfriend you told me about to give my seal of approval.
Love to all,
Gerry
