life rattle show no. 1352

Presented on saturday, september 12, 2015

hosted by Laurie Kallis

featuring

"Dog Gettin'"
and
"Section Twenty-One"
by Sue Bracken

tonight's Show

Tonight's program features two stories from new writer Sue Bracken.

Sue Bracken was born in Toronto in 1953. Although she has lived and worked here for many years, she has also had many tangents. She worked as a physiotherapist on Harley Street in London, England, in various pain and sports clinics, and currently works in health and safety for a municipal government. On a more soulful level, Sue has danced professionally in Toronto and unprofessionally in London, England, cycled in Scotland, swam in Haliburton lakes, had cheese fondue while camping by the South Saskatchewan River, and written poetry whenever she could.

Sue Bracken is inspired daily by her fabulous partner’s artwork and their fabulous son’s music. They make Sue want to be a better blues mandolin player.

Perhaps from her experience writing poetry, in her prose Sue Bracken conjures images that swim rythmically around the reader. This quality, paired with her ability to craft dialogue that parcels each moment perfectly, creates stories that vibrate with life.

In "Dog Gettin'," a woman, not quite over the loss of her canine companion, finds herself almost coerced into welcoming another dog into her life when she allows the dog of a friend to break through her lingering grief.

"Section Twenty-One," though quite different from our first story, also speaks to the complex emotions and the pain of losing a loved one. Into the difficult situation of two sisters making plans for a recently passed brother’s cremated remains, Sue Bracken introduces an uncouth funerary professional whose callous behaviour is enough to make you squirm.