Weldon Parsons is an accomplished writer and poet who creates work, fiction and non-fiction, to share with the world.
He now has five novels and two poetry compact discs on the market, with the sixth book in the works.
To fully appreciate Parsons' accomplishments a bit of background is needed.
In 1991, Parsons was driving back to camp on a pitch-black November night from a long tiring day of hunting. He had been guiding a party of hunters from Florida through some of the northern Saskatchewan wilderness he knows well. This time the prize buck they were hoping to find had eluded them.
With virtually no warning, the vehicle crashed into a loaded hay wagon parked on the roadway, suddenly thrusting Parsons into the life-changing experience. The accident caused a crushed spinal cord resulting in central cord syndrome which typically causes greater impairment in the upper body than lower body. Parsons was diagnosed as a partial quadriplegic and, although the accident took away his ability to fully use his arms and legs, it didn't stop him from trying to find a purpose in life.
Parsons refers to himself as an "upside down quad".
His imagination is captured on paper as voice recognition software transcribes his voice into text allowing him to share his experiences with readers. His life long wife and partner, Elaine, spends hours editing, printing, cutting and binding the books. The relationship the two exhibit is definitely an inspiration to all.
His first book was a non-fiction tale about his outfitting years. Adventures of a Canadian Big Game Guide takes the reader through Parsons hunting expeditions, from the signing and purchasing of his first rights, to outfit an area in British Columbia, up to and including the night of the horrific crash that ended Parson's physical ability to guide more expeditions.
Next was the release of his fiction novel in 2005 entitled The Pale Horse. The story is a political thriller with apocalyptic themes. His 2010 publication of Keys to Enjoying the Wilderness was written not to entertain, but rather to educate. It is a compilation of knowledge, skills and techniques required to survive either in the wilderness or under any kind of natural disaster circumstance.
Jim Zumbo commented in his own book that, "Weldon Parsons is the kind of man you'd be comfortable hunting in the bush with."
Parsons compiled a book of his poetry in Memories from Mountain Trails. He has just completed his fifth publication, Grizzly Bear Justice, which is directed towards the teenage reader. The dark drama lightened by the interspersed life of a grizzly that actually is relevant in its entirety to the overall outcome of the story. Parsons is able to combine his poetry skills and creative imagination with his past outfitting experiences to create a novel of interest.
The two main characters are youth of different faiths and religions. Parsons' clever writing technique absorbs the reader into the plot as chapters alternate between a grizzly's perspective and the story of deceit, curiosity and murder. There are even moments of survival, prayer and injury that are reflective of Parsons' life experiences.
The Mountain Man poetry CD consists of 15 poems read by Parsons and set to sounds of the wilderness. He is able to lead a blind person into his poetry as he reads and describes the terrain and view in descriptive detail. His natural ability to let the words flow freely and descriptively draws the reader/listener into his world. There is no sense of boredom, but rather a loss of time as one is absorbed into the text.
The following excerpt from My Magic Carpet, the first on the Mountain Man poetry CD, explains the transition as he transports his readers/listeners with him into another land.
"When I grasp a pen in my crippled right hand,
Instantly I am transported to a far off land,
I can feel the sun and the wind gently caress my face,
As I am transported to this magical place "
The 75-year-old speaks about his accident as a painful experience, especially the recovery and rehabilitation, but he expresses little regret about the things he can no longer do. He has found a new purpose in life and that is to share his story with the world.
He says it is rewarding when he receives telephone calls or letters from individuals who have found strength and inspiration from his publications.
"You never know when you will influence someone's life," explains Parsons humbly.
"Of course there's been a radical change in my life, but I can not dwell on the past. I would rather direct my energy to focusing on the future. Focus on what I am capable of doing now and to continue to find a way to be useful to others.
"Opportunities await and it all comes down to your frame-of-mind. Our physical body can handicap us, but it's our mind that can cripple us."
Parsons is currently working on a fiction drama novel set before the American Civil War where his hero kills the slave owner's son and had to escape to Canada for refuge. The book is entitled Escape to Canada. Parsons mixes real life scenarios with imagination to create a setting and plot that will entice his readership once again.
Parsons has a gift for writing from the heart. The ability to take the strength he draws from his faith, combine it with text and pass onto his readers/listeners is also a gift. For more information on Weldon Parsons or his work call 497-2500 or e-mail weldon.parsons@sasktel.net.
