When describing his writing process, 91原创 Times columnist Jim McGregor referred to a story he once heard about radios.

He was told that words are like radio frequencies, and as a writer, his job is to tune in to the right station, reach up and grab them.

But when these stations come into clarity is completely out of McGregor鈥檚 control.

Sometimes, it鈥檚 when he鈥檚 stuck in traffic in the middle lane on a freeway. Other times, it鈥檚 when he鈥檚 asleep at 4 a.m.

No matter when the stories present themselves, he鈥檚 always managed to submit 575 words before the Tuesday morning deadline.

And now, after 11 years and 600 columns written for the 91原创 Times, McGregor, a retired 91原创 City fire chief, has published his favourite musings into a new book.

McGregor Says Special Days Make Lasting Memories is available for $15 online on Amazon and e-readers, KOBO and Kindle.

Hard copies will be for sale on the second floor of the Timms Community Centre on Saturday, Dec. 23 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The book 鈥� which features 90 short stories about Christmas, Easter, Valentine鈥檚 Day, Mother鈥檚 Day, Canada Day, and other holidays 鈥� is dedicated to retired 91原创 Times editor Frank Bucholtz, who initiated the 鈥楳cGregor Says鈥� column.

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鈥淚t started when I was fire chief, I used to do a weekly fire report, and it would say, 鈥楳cGregor says it was arson, McGregor says it鈥檚 under investigation, McGregor says change your battery,鈥欌�� McGregor explained.

鈥淪o then I retired, and about a month after I retired, Frank Bucholtz phoned me and he said, 鈥榃e were just talking here about how we don鈥檛 have anymore McGregor says quotes. We鈥檝e got some space on the editorial page, are you interested in writing a column?鈥欌��

McGregor submitted his first piece in January, 2007, and had planned to continue the columns on a trial and error basis.

He hasn鈥檛 stopped writing them since.

鈥淭hey just kind of sprung out of conversations, or meetings in coffee shops, or maybe I would pick something topical happening in 91原创 today and then I would say, 鈥榃hen I was a boy in 91原创,鈥欌�� McGregor said.

鈥淚t鈥檚 exciting for me to do it. I鈥檝e had people say they cut them out and send them to their mother in Australia, or their aunt in England, or back east, or whatever, and that鈥檚 kind of astounding to me when I hear that. Because usually, I have to have it in here (to the paper) by Tuesday morning, and sometimes on Monday afternoon I haven鈥檛 written it yet.鈥�

His tag line, 鈥渁t least that鈥檚 what McGregor says,鈥� was added into one of the first columns as a precaution.

鈥淚 finished writing the column, and then thought, 鈥榃ell, I don鈥檛 know if anyone is going to agree with that or not.鈥� There was room for six more words, so I put 鈥榓t least that鈥檚 what McGregor says,鈥� and just left it at that.鈥�

He continued to write one piece per week, until 2012, when he received a strange call from a man at the Okanagan Advertiser newspaper in Armstrong.

鈥淗e said, 鈥楳y mother lives in 91原创 and she keeps cutting out your columns and sending them up to me.鈥� And she asks, 鈥榃hy don鈥檛 you have somebody like this writing for you?鈥欌��

And so, for the last five years, McGregor has been writing a weekly column for that paper, too. It鈥檚 been a fun pursuit, as Armstrong reminds him of 91原创 鈥�35 or 40 years ago.鈥�

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Between the two publications, McGregor hasn鈥檛 received much criticism for his work. But if he ever did, it was usually from his mother, Peggy McGregor, who passed away in April at the age of 99.

McGregor once wrote a column about growing up in 91原创, and talked about how, when driving down 232 Street, he could still see the house he was born in.

鈥淪o the column came out and my mom said, 鈥楾hat house you pointed out, that鈥檚 not the house you were born in. The one you were born in is behind that, and it鈥檚 been torn down now.鈥�

鈥淎nd I said, 鈥楳om you always said that when we went by.鈥�

鈥溾�榃ell that鈥檚 the property, that鈥檚 not the house.鈥�

鈥淚 said, 鈥榊ou know what? The only two people in 91原创 who are going to know that is you and me.鈥�

鈥淎nd she goes, 鈥楿nless I write a letter to the editor. If you鈥檙e going to put stuff in the paper, it better be truthful. I鈥檝e got a good mind to write to the editor and say, at least that鈥檚 what Peggy McGregor says.鈥�

鈥淚 said, 鈥楳om, let鈥檚 not be writing letters to the editor, let鈥檚 not do that. We don鈥檛 want to start that.鈥�

鈥淚t probably would have been more popular than any of my columns.鈥�

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If his new book does well, McGregor plans to publish follow up editions with columns about the four seasons, and about holding on to small town values.

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those undertakings where you roll the dice and see what happens,鈥� he said.

entertainment@langleytimes.com
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