Bolton resident exciting for upcoming release of new book, Good Enough From Here

March 19, 2020 · 0 Comments

Written By ALYSSA PARKHILL

Glenn Carley has always dreamed of becoming a writer. Forming words into stories just waiting to be shared is a passion that resided within him through his entire career as a social worker. Eventually, his passion took over and Glenn released his first book, Polenta at Midnight on Oct 17, 2007.

In 2011, Carley began his second literary adventure in the High Arctic at Canadian Forces Station Alert, then in North West Territories. Nine years later, it’s ready for release.

“When you look at the stage of the Arctic at Canadian Forces Station Alert, it’s a perimeter and it’s all orange. It’s men, and it’s military and it’s set in the expanse of the High Arctic. Mountains all around you, monochrome, no sound; it’s like a desert,” explained Carley. “You go up there and you’re unformed as a young man, needing to get out of a small town called Trenton. You find yourself hurdled on an arctic stage.”

He added, “I think the seeds for much of my formation, certainly the roots of leadership came from my experience there.”

Carley spent two summers at ALERT when he was in his early twenties as part of an environmental clean-up crew on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island in the 1970’s. In his second book, ‘Good Enough from Here’ you travel through the journey and experiences of a young man posted in the High Arctic and the raw and powerful moments through isolation and travelling through the different seasons.

“You have a profound coming of age experience in a defined setting that’s incredibly unique. Not everybody gets up there. You have such profound changes, and you watch other young men change, some for the best, some for the worst. Guys get lovesick, homesick,” said Carley. “Another big theme in ‘Good Enough from Here’ is at the right time, a young man escapes his hometown, finds himself in a military culture and really comes to terms with the impact of his father.”

Carley grew up along side Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Trenton where his father worked as a chief inspection officer as a civilian. With that experience of being surrounded by military culture at a young age, he was able to grab a hold of a deeper understanding of the work his father did, and about the military in a whole, as he grew up and was coming of age in the High Arctic.

“What’s really joyful for me, is as a young man to throw yourself up there, I’m not just taking a hard look at my dad, but I’m actually experiencing as a participant in a military culture, a better understanding of the work he chose to do. I found that insight powerful,” he said. “I liked what I became.”

What was a really moving part for Carley when he got to the marketing portion of the production of ‘Good Enough from Here’ was getting endorsed by an old friend, and retired Major, Scott Munn, who has experienced Canadian Forces Station Alert.

A part of the endorsement which is written on the back of the book reads, “Good Enough from Here, about a young man’s summer in Alert, hit home as authentic. It resonated with my experience at Alert and while visiting other northern radar sites and construction camps. I invite military readers, all those who served at Alert, their families, and all those who have heard of Alert or are interested in one young man’s northern adventure to read this book.” GEFH will also have appeal to a broad readership interested in understanding the journeys of youthful minds.

Carley plans on holding an official book launch later on in the year, but in the meantime ‘Good Enough from Here’ is available at Forster’s Book Garden at 266 Queen Street South, as well as off Amazon or directly from the publisher at Rock Mill’s Press.