Running the Sheets

Running the Sheets is a collection of 24 inter-connected stories that recount the experiences of a young boy and his family at a seasonal fishing lodge on the shores of Newboro Lake, part of the Rideau System near Kingston, Ontario. The stories are set between 1968 and 1979, mainly in the summer months. There is a little local history, a fair amount of 1970s pop culture but mostly the stories focus on the summer time experiences of a fairly naive young boy who has a front-row seat for some bizarre and unexpected events, some happy, some life-threatening, some humourous, some dangerous, some poignant and some sad. Highlights include exploding boats, drunken midgets, first loves, bad haircuts, streakers, a bank robbery, fisticuffs and a go-cart accident.

James Tallon is a high school English teacher who lives in Kingston, Ontario with his spouse Nicole and their two children Harper and Patrick. When he is not obsessing over his beloved Montreal Canadiens or trying to avoid responsibility, he enjoys listening to good music, watching obscure films, writing stories, reading Elmore Leonard novels, and playing the occasional game of golf. This is his first book.