Jeannette’s Newsletter

Share this post

Mid-December 2022 - Jack Slade's lost cake

jeannettebedard.substack.com

Mid-December 2022 - Jack Slade's lost cake

Jeannette Bedard
Dec 15, 2022
2
Share this post

Mid-December 2022 - Jack Slade's lost cake

jeannettebedard.substack.com

Hi Everyone!

Happy approaching solstice.

The early darkness combined with the rain and cold, means I’ve hardly spent anytime outdoors recently. Instead, I find myself spending tones of time reading or writing in my comfy chair, usually with a mug of steaming tea (which isn’t a bad thing).

I’ve been digging into some mysteries for some reason that feels cozy—and I know I’m not the only one as there is a whole genre for this. I just finished reading Station Eternity by Mur Lafferty, it’s a cozy mystery on a space station, the exact thing I needed.

But I also found a smaller mystery of my own…

The mystery of Jack Slade’s cake

During a recent trip to a thrift shop, I picked up a pile of old postcards and these three were among them. All three are addressed to Jack Slade between 1941 and 1943 (and Jack got promoted, so yay!). The first and third seem to be from Jack’s mom about ‘bed time snacks’ and other tasty treats.

I played around with the contrast and colours on the postcard above—but unfortunately, the pencil is still hard to read. And the good news is the writer-I-can’t-identify ate a hell of a box of fried chicken.

I’m left with a burning question… did Jack get his cake?

(As an aside, I’m going to assume Jack Slade survived WWII as these postcards made it to a local-to-me thrift shop—which is a different country).

I did some quick searches and found a historical Jack Slade—a stagecoach and Pony Express superintendent and a gunslinger, unfortunately this Jack Slate died in 1864 (but who knows, maybe his mom sent him ‘bedtime snacks’ too).

The two Jack Slades are clearly not the same person, but my fiction writing minds is wondering what if they were the same guy? What if this fictional Jack Slade is still around? Still waiting for his cake to be delivered? (if it was a fruit cake it might be still good)

I think a time machine might need to be involved. Or maybe portals… I might need to start taking some notes for a future story.


I’ve booked myself a full three weeks off from my day job to end off my year—I can’t remember the last time I’ve taken this long of a break (I suspect it’s been more than 20 years). On that note, I’m going to skip my next newsletter and will be back mid-January 2023 (thus saving everyone from yet another year in review).


If you are looking for some reading to end off your year, check out these free books:

Until next next year,

Jeannette


My Books:

Encoded Orbits

  • Fractured Orbits - direct or from the shops

  • The Alien Algorithm - direct or from the shops

Settler Chronicles

  • Lunar Escape - here or here

  • Day 115 on an Alien World - direct or from the shops

  • Far Side of the Moon - direct or from the shops

  • Abandoned Ships, Hijacked Minds - direct or from the shops

  • The Alien Artifact - direct or from the shops


And if you aren’t already a subscriber, what’s stopping you (especially if you have read this far)?

Share this post

Mid-December 2022 - Jack Slade's lost cake

jeannettebedard.substack.com
Comments
TopNewCommunity

No posts

Ready for more?

© 2023 Jeannette Bedard
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start WritingGet the app
Substack is the home for great writing