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His books, an assembling multitude, will have their day of course, first on merit, then through reputation and word of mouth. But on this day, they rest respectfully in the wings, while master details their creation. And so, two-and-a-half years ago, the son of famed politician and CNR chairman Donald Gordon and grandson of John Gordon. the Town Poet of Old Meldrum, Scotland, began chasing his dream. With the solid backing of his family. he embarked on a five-year plan, a time-slot devoted entirely to the pursuit of writing. Profits, (ha. this is Canada) to be reinvested in the quest. rewards to be stored in heart's vest pocket. He so far has seen none of the former. but the light of the latter is shining at the end of the tunnel with the recent release through McBain Publications Inc. of Fineswine and The Rock Candy Bandits. Fineswine is a delicious thinly veiled dissection of a large meat-packing operation in K-W and the behind-the. scenes c6nniving of the poWerseekers involved. The Rock Candy Bandits, first in a series of six gems entitled The Prosperian Papers, is living proof that childhood and all that goes with it is far too valuable to be wasted on children. (Let them have a peek though. after you are through.) To assign short shritt to the man behind the pen in the review of books like "teswine and The Rock Candy Bandits is an insult if not untorgit able injustice to the marvellous” irreverent and engaging Donald Ramsay Gordon. In fact. on this cold, miserably wet windswept day, Gordon is the story as he and a reporter huddle in a favorite Chinese restaurant. Cosy, So is the carafe of white wine accompanying lunch. News of a promising, talented, local writer is exciting at the best of times. When that writer turns out to be the intriguing. oft times enigmatic, always colorful Don Gordon, all else looks good on the back burner. What an amazing individual. He'0 précis his monumental resume. if it's all the same to us. "i've been a reporter of news in every medium, I've done public affairs. I've been a housewife. a university professor and consultant - and none of it has quite worked," Gordon said. "All my life what I've wanted to do was be a writer, write about the things I've seen. the feelings Vee had, the places I've been and people I've met." "Wonderful,'" Gordon chuckled, “What did you think?" "Great Muir. But I was scared _-_. less." "Why's that?" “I kept turning the pagr (Exporting in be your m-xl vir tim." But now. less than a year after hooking up with John McBain of Kitchener‘s McBain Publications through mutual acquaintance George Roth, Gordon‘s Fineswine and The Rock Candy Bandits have hit the streets. The author is running a perfect 12-ror-12 in favorable Fineswine reviews as of this writing. while The Rock Candy Bandits. the essence of which materialized in verbal form on a cottage dock "light years" ago. has yet to be subjected to reviewers' microscopes. "I read Finesuine on my hortvyrnoon," I blurted between Coursey, of Chinese food. To call oneself a writer is "ne thing. To believe it within yourself. quite another. "The hardest part about doing this." said the 35-year-old Gordon. father of three grown sons and husband of Dr. nclen Gordon. "is maintaining the belief for five years that you have the presence to vntertain (through writing), lie vxpt'rienced those long. ochoimr silences. I've been grvying more than usual, there's nothing easy about it." "This magical thing happened." said Gordon. describ, ing his reaction to the Fineswine reviews. "It was a really nice feeling. Sure they've taught me a lot and not everything written has been nice. tine (reviewer) said there was too much sex, one said the characters were cardboard-like, that surt of thing. But everyone has said they enjoyed reading the book. and after about the seventh review. I said to myself. 'hey, I'm a novelist.' Good feeling." A veteran media figure both here and abroad. Gordon has a list of credits, articles and publications that could paper the Great Wall of China. But in the back of his ROCK CANDY BA NDITS M " K. I), " n t L n 1.11; R Maintaining belief The Fitteswine: Donald It. Gordon. Kitchener. 1)nt (McBain Publications [may 170 pages. $4.95. paper, "I‘m the type of guy who no matter where I am. what I'm doing. Vm always noting what happens around me, people's actions and reactions, what they're doing. not just what I'm doing." And w Gordon. who has experienced the big/small city idiosyncrasies of Kitchener Waterloo for 17 yeah. wrote from the heart about _ meatpacking. our town, l-‘lneswine tells the story of the sales manager of a large meatpacking conglomerate in K w whose ascent up the corporate ladder is expedited by the development of a low-calorie sausage. His craft. cunning and villains along the way bring unexpected detoun however. especially when the rest of the team (including his daughter) decided to work against him, What makes a man want to write a book like this? Ask Donald Gordon himself, To be sure. while welrresearched and articulate Fineswlne is not a book to tax the recesses of you? mind, But for those who delight in incisive. otherwall commentary while enjoying an easy read. this is the number Gordon is the fly on the wall in big business boardrooms and small city trodeooms. and the result is quite the buzz indeed, mind. fiction-writing has always been his fancy. He reveres it to this day. especially as it takes shape in his Beechwood basement omce. "The discipline you need for fiction just doesn't apply in non-fiction. tin fiction) you've really got to know what you're talking about. " I write for you. yuu've got to believe me or it just doesn't work. I've not to convince you through my writing that Marjorie Carroll is the mayor of Waterloo. I can‘t just tell you and expect you to accept it as fact. I mean, to write about tin Ruck Candy Bandits) Deadly Electric Ems. Wild Lurks and Grommet Birds and make you believe that's what they are. l have to have discipline." Though his, family is comfortable with his selrimposvd sabbatical. Gordon is amused with the reaction of some not so close to the scene. "ICs transformed me. to be sure there are no easy euex. no title to go by. when you go to a party and they ask what you do, you say you‘re a writer and there‘s this long embarrassed silence. then they pass you on as a nice little old man in tennis shoes. or an eeeentrie professor. or someone who has just had a nervous breakdown." But for all those reactions, those of his family are far and away the most important. "Each day Helen comes home after working about 10 hours at the hospital. she's tired and frayed and I have ready approximately six pages - thaCs my daily quota. more or less - for her to read. It's important to me that I keep up my end of the bargain. Then she shares her ideas and insights. it helps her relax and gives her other things to talk about too." A rewarding moment came earlier this Nummer when the entire family got together for a camping trip on a remote island. Far removed. but closely tied to a cottage Gordon's shared 15 years ago with two families near Newborn on the Rideau NY stem north of Kingston. "Back then. with about eight kids milling around. the three wives needed some leeway to make dinner. so I was delegated to amuse the kids while they did so. I had scribbled a few notes on a cigarette package and we went down to the dock and I told them a not bad story - about 35 minutes worth because I wanted a good dinner. After about two days. that idea fell through because not only did Catching up to a life's dream -. Don Cordon always wanted to be able to call himself a writer. Now he can, and nothing makes him happier. Rick Campbell Chronicle Staff Strange reactions Making dinner WATERLOO CHRONOCLE. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1984 - PAGE 5 The Prosperian Papers, Vol. V. The Rock Candy Bandits. Donald R. Gordon, Kitchener, ()nt. (McBain Publications Inc.) 64 pages, $6.95. paper. There's a part of all of us who would love to be Phineas T. Quackley. "oracle. learned scholar and wizard." Thankfully. in The Rock Candy Bandits. author Don Gordon allows us that access. At the same time. we alternately cheer or curse an assortment of other colorful characters as Gordon spins an enchanting tale in an imaginary land. To ride a cliche into Gordon's Grungeon Desert. The Rock Candy Bandits is a tale for children of all ages. "When I finish a novel. I like to write a children's story, each one is a refreshing holiday from the other." said the author. Bandits has been "massaeed" in draft form for about six years now. the concrete collection of a story Gordon regaled his children with while vacationing mme " years ago. Greatly enhancing the storyline are the marvellous illustrations by welrknown artist Michal Manson which makes the final product a handsome package. But don't buy it for the looks only, Wouldn't you also like an escape - however brief - to the land where trench fries grow on trees? And so. armed with an insatiable desire to research and comprehend the industry's technical aspects. Gordon took tours of J. M. Schneider as an "onlooker." visited farmer's markets, talked to butchers, ventured to Toronto packing houses. The compiled recipe turned into a tasty literary treat. , And while camping this summer‘ father made a point of re-telling the Rock Candy Bandits story. Says Gordon: “I truly believe they're more appreciative of the story now than when they heard it as kids." Why Fineswine? Why a meatpacking story? Stuffed. low-calorie sausage? "rm certainly not obsessed with meatpacking, but 1 found it interesting. novel," Gordon said. He has no such criticism of close friends, who have responded warmly, made encouraging phone calls, buoyed Gordon with their support. Three youngsters at Hallowe'en came to the door and praised the Bandits - and were forthwith rewarded for their remarks. "There are some things that could have been done better fin Fineswine) but when I re-read it which I often have to do. I often blush and say. ‘geez I wish I'd written that.' “WARN finishing Fineswine I went back and read Upton 'iinclair"ys. The Jungle. I don't feel abashed at all.“ Though the books are on the shelves in such establishments as Mr. Grocer, Westmount Variety. Coles and local bookstores, Gordon wishes national distributors would commit - one way or another - to his efforts. They haven't. “l feel like a kid in a toy shop." said Gordon. “it‘s provided me with a pattern of life, it's everything I wanted to do. ICs given me a chance to try to entertain, to do good things. I have eight kids in the audience. I also had three wives Bu) tryatpras the Stamp! The Rock Candy Bandits." So far. the feet-dragging displayed by distributors rates an1(_mg Ibo ftw '"?re points with the five-year plan. "All my life I've wanted to say that I'm a writer. and until now I've never been able to. But now I can. Do you remember Jack Lemmon in Some Like It Hot, the scene where he actually believed he was a girl? tm a girl. I'm a girl, Um a girl.' he said. Well. now Um saying. 'l'm a writer. I'm a writer. I'm a writer.' “And it's such a good, good feeling." Not obsessed