There is a huge difference between plain writing and writing from the heart.
Have you ever wondered what the story-teller’s life story of that great book you just read? What could have motivated them into writing and authoring a book? Is it plainly because they like writing, or is it because that is their way of pouring out whatever it is in their hearts?
Writers are intelligent and creative people, and there’s no doubt in that. Their minds are full of imagination and ideas that help them create a good story, but some writers do not only use their minds when they write; they also use their hearts, just like Anthony Parran Sr.
He started flying in 1963 while in high school, long before entering the Army. He knew his grades weren’t good enough to become a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War era, and besides his hobby, his passion was electronics and computers. Flying was an enjoyment to pursue when he had the time and financial resources. He was a Radar specialist in the US Army. Later, he worked for IBM, Digital Equipment Corporation, and Electronic Data Systems. Impressive, isn’t he? But that is not it. He owned a computer business in British Columbia, Canada for 10-years, and later became a Call Center Manager for the Washington State Patrol Troopers Association. Afterward, he then worked as an Airport Security Escort at Calgary International Airport and retired in 2013. Having become a private pilot with a US and Canadian license, he has flown 15-different aircraft, including a US Navy T-28 Trojan. Another fantastic fact about the writer is that he has built two aircraft and an ultralight. When he started developing the third aircraft, the FAA won’t let him fly it due to a lower back injury. What an impeccable work profile, one might think, but the man also has his fair share of lost battles and heartbreaks. Anthony shared a heart-pinching yet an inspiring story that had happened to his life when his son asked him one afternoon about their mother, his wife. He struggled to find the right words to explain it to them, until one day, he received a call from the school principal asking him about his children’s mother, and then he shared how it goes:
“The next day, I received a call from the school principal asking about their mother. Since I had custody of them, I thought their request was more from a possible domestic abuse issue. Their grades had begun to slip severely. I told them I’d put everything down on paper, for Matthew to bring in. That night, hauling out my 8088 desktop computer and Epson Dot-Matrix Printer, using Word Perfect, I began to type and type and cry and type. Much later, I realized that I had typed 20-pages of hurt and pain, looking at the tear-stained pages. Realizing I couldn’t hand them this, I condensed everything down to two-pages. The following day I received a call from the principal stating he understood, and the school would work with the boys to bring their grades up.”
For him, that night is fantastic. It seems like something happened for the first time in a long time, but that was not what got him on writing. That was just the start of it. He then began to document the things he had done since his days in the Army up to then; his travels, personal life, and what it was like to raise two-boys when he was always traveling. All his experiences not only made him a better person but as a better writer. His own experiences as a lover, a father, and just as a human being is one, if not all, the reason that his writings are heartfelt. Most of his stories originate in Canada, but a lot of the adventure occurs elsewhere. Aside from this, what makes his books great is that it came straight from his heart. Each story he creates is filled with all sorts of emotions, making them an instant favorite. Anthony is undoubtedly a great story-teller because of the books he has written, but his life story makes him even more remarkable. His own story will be an inspiration to the people who will get a chance to read this article and get to know him a little deeper.
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