Paul Quarrington Dies

During a break in the Sleeping Giant Writers Festival, Paul Quarrington and I stood at a window in the Prince Arthur Hotel and contempleted the Giant and the Big Lake. He told me Thunder Bay was a magic place. I told him I loved his novel "Galveston." I asked him if the Leafs would ever win the cup. I had met Paul at Humber School for Writers where he taught each summer and I knew he was, like me, a Leaf fan. "Some day, " he said with a typical Leaf Fan Sigh and we both continued to stare at the lake.

Paul died of lung cancer Thursday, January 21. He worked on his memoir almost to the end. The book will be published in May.

Paul was a fisherman, an inuksuit builder, a rock musician and a fine writer who produced ten novels including the GG winner Whale Music as well as non-fiction and plays. His novels often featured a man moving away from life but at the same time pulled toward involvement.

Always missed.