Much like the Toronto Blue Jays this past week, Second Saturday Stories also 'returns home' by featuring work from columnist Mark French.
Mark French is a local writer working on creating fiction and is steadily working toward publishing. He has had a mystery thriller featured in a monthly writing group composed of local authors and writers known as the Conspiracy of 3. Mark has also received honourable mention for work submitted in the NYC Midnight online short story challenge, an international writing competition, in 2021.
Regular readers of the column will know Mark's recent work from the 6 Part Eddie Banner Mystery series written for Second Saturday Stories. Interested readers can find parts one to six here. Although Eddie won't be climbing back into his Buick Roadmaster to solve another mystery just yet, the story Mark has is still sure to please.
Enter 'Below Freezing,' an homage to those of us who keep the barbecue on the patio 365 days of the year. The story conjures images familiar to any Northerner who's ever clutched a Maglight in the crook of their neck so they can see what they're barbecuing in that familiar 4 p.m. blackness known as dusk in winter.
When Mike Turner decides to have one last barbecue in the middle of winter's deep freeze, he's met with a healthy dose of skepticism at the idea that he'll be able to pull off the task. (not even the dog is willing to brave the snow for a few scraps.) But through Mike's own brand of stubborn determination, he steps up to battle Jack Frost in what looks to be a pretty one-sided battle until tragedy strikes at the last minute. Mike is forced to make a choice, does he abandon his task as a fool's errand and resign to a meal cooked indoors, or will his determination and grilling know-how be enough to win the day? find out today at 3 p.m
