First-time writer. Dad of three. And completely in love with my wife. I have made a series of children's books under the banner of BAND OF BEAVERS. Why? Because I really enjoy it. I can include my kids in the process. It helps promote the love of reading for parents and children alike. And, finally... why not! Life is about enjoying the moments, and this experience has been such a fun ride. - https://www.facebook.com/bandofbeavers- www.bandbeavers.caWHAT DIVOC is my first self-published book, which ended up writing during the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was my release, therapy, and way to cope with everything that was happening around me. It was fun and helpful. I'm hoping this book, if you choose to take a chance on it, helps you, entertains you or at the very least distracts you for a little bit. Book recap: WHAT DIVOCThis is fiction, with fictional characters. The storylines have been created and yes some of the details are pulled straight from the news that happened around me. Writing “What Divoc” helped me cope with a very confusing, and at times stressful, period for many of us. I am an eternal optimist and I pride myself on wanting to be a positive person. Writing this felt like my own personal therapy sessions, it was an outlet to process this strange time. That’s the reason I did it, I had fun and it was therapeutic to write. I’m hoping this story can bring a smile, a tear, and maybe even a reflection or discussion about the social state of our little part of the world. I hope it does. COVID to me was an amplified catalyst for all of us to revisit how and why we do things, and why we do things to others. Could the story have had more of a “happy ending” with everyone surviving? Maybe. But that’s not how real life works. Shocking and bittersweet stories happened, as COVID took far too many lives of loved ones. Mack died because people die all the time, whether it was the virus or not, we all face the death of loved ones at some point. It’s whether any regrets are left on the table that can make death even more painful. Life sucks sometimes; even the beautiful whale that actually swam up to Montreal died in real life. It was believed that it likely collided with a boat and succumbed to its injuries. The story of that beautiful wayward animal made me think about how we failed it, how humans fail from time to time to do what’s right. It begs the question: have we failed our seniors and their families, or was it really something that was unavoidable? Our actions or inactions have consequences… I hope that this damn virus pushes us to all make our planet better and improve how we treat one another moving forward. While I am a positive person by nature, a slightly cynical voice (some would say realistic) creeps up inside me. Will our behaviours revert to old ways and times before there is any “social awakening?” Let’s not allow this to be another moment like that. The story of this virus is not finished, and nobody knows when and how it will truly end. I hope we learn from this! Too many times after tragic events, we think: “it didn’t affect me directly, or it happened to somebody else” – it creates a built-in excuse machine for us to go back to “business as usual.” Maybe this time, because we were all affected by this virus, one way or another, it might turn out differently. This is an opportunity for society to learn and be the best version of itself… one person at a time. I hope some good can come from this tragedy... that’s how we learn, grow, and evolve. Whether it is families reconnecting or governments shifting to more ecologically sustainable and socially conscious policies, we need to improve the social inequalities that exist within our democracy: ageism, racism or the ever-growing economic divides and gaps between the haves and the have-nots. Together… as one human race, we must be better than the sum of our parts. There needs to be more humanity, kindness, and compassion… period. Read more about this authorRead less about this author