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Train ride gives Tucker a ticket to writing By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Longtime Oakville resident David Tucker is already an award-winning documentary filmmaker and a respected university professor. He wanted to try something new. So, what could he do? Well, he tried writing and it turns out he's quite good at that, too. "I wanted a new challenge. I've made films for a long time. I've taught and been at work in an academic environment and I just thought it would be great to continue to grow," the firsttime author said. Imagining he would receive a series of rejection letters from publishers, the very first response he received was an acceptance of his manuscript. Now, the Ryerson University professor and Gemini Award-winning filmmaker is promoting his first book, One Way Ticket. The book features three stories, a novella and two novelettes, each involving characters trying to forge an identity. He wrote the first of the stories for his own enjoyment. However, after a few people read it, they recommended he should take it further. An editor returned it to him with few changes and then he submitted it to a publisher. "The first publisher I sent it to said this is very publishable and, `send us some more and we'll turn it into a book.' It wasn't the agony you normally associate with writing. It must be beginner's luck," Tucker said. Tucker is a lauded documentary television writer, producer and writer. He picked up a Gemini Award for the best directing of a film called Amanda's Choice. He's received several more Gemini nominations, along with picking up international awards. He served as an associate dean at Sheridan College before joining the Ryerson RTA School of Media faculty where he served as chair. He's been published in scholarly journals, has been a speaker at international arts and media conferences and is best know for his work on the CBC's The Nature of Things with David Suzuki. Known mostly as a documentary filmmaker, he's also produced dramatic work, including a TV movie. Artscene from films to books: Filmmaker and Ryerson University new media professor David Tucker has published a book called One Way Ticket. The book consists of three fictional stories with a recurring theme. Tucker will be signing copies of his book at Chapters at Dorval Crossing on Sunday from 2-5pm. 29 · Friday, November 16, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com bignamessmalltheatre T H E O A K V I L L E C E N T R E F O R T H E P E R F O R M I N G A R T S Dan Cooper presents TREASA LEVASSEUR Saturday November 24, 8:00 pm "She does it all with a voice that, while capable of gritty resolve, can best be described as `smooth as velvet'." ~ JOHN TAYLOR, Blinded By Sound H2 Systems presents THE SANTALAND DIARIES Saturday December 15, 8:00 pm "Santaland Diaries have become a tradition - and thank god. Because there is only so much holiday cheer one can stomach" ~ WILL FINK, Chicago critic nikki wesley / oakville beaver / @halton_photog Dan Cooper presents LUNCH AT ALLEN'S One of the stories in the book was inspired by a documentary Tucker had once produced. It's about a woman about to receive a lifetime writing achievement award, but she gets writer's block writing her acceptance speech in the hotel room. Another story was inspired by Tucker's GO Train journey one day in which an older man was on a cell phone making a series of cold calls promoting a business. Those calls progressively turned towards the people he knew and eventually to his family, still selling them the same story, though it was progressively evolving. These stories were altered and taken in different directions from their real life inspirations. In the third story, the character is a hurricane survivor at birth, and through his life expectations of greatness are put on him. Though, he's an unaccomplished man, he's trying to live up to those expectations. Tucker has a pair of public appearances in Oakville on Sunday, Nov. 18. At noon, he will be one of the readers at a Literary Cafe at the Moonshine Café, 137 Kerr St. At 2 p.m., he will be reading at Chapters bookstore, 310 North Service Rd. W. For more information, visit www. davidltucker.com. Friday December 21, 8:00 pm "They work hard to make each other sound as good as they possibly can ­ all in service of the song." ~ ROBERT REID, The Record, Guelph Oakville Infiniti presents MICHAEL CIUFO Sunday December 23, 3:00 pm "A powerful presence that fills a room with melody." ~ JOHN TAYLOR, Blinded By Sound All performances are at THE OAKVILLE CENTRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS To order tickets call: 905-815-2021 or go to www.oakvillecentre.ca