Delivering books with a big-birthday flare

After being away for a bit, I reconnected with dear friends, and was the recipient of a belated big-birthday celebration. I received a lovely gift, a silly party hat, and a flowery necklace. One friend reminded me, "You started this!" Which is true. We've been sharing silly birthday hats and neck adornments for 20 years! This fun tradition has come back to make my day. 

Deana Driver - 2026

Deana Driver and friends - 2026

So I wore my 70th birthday hat all day long, including into two local gift shops as I replenished their stock of DriverWorks Ink books!

Deana Driver at Local YQR Market

Deana Driver with owner Janelle Anderson
of Handmade Saskatchewan

Some of the terrific books published by DriverWorks Ink

My silly hat and flowered necklace brought smiles to everyone I met that afternoon. Thanks, friends!

To all of you reading this: Remember the inspiring words of the late Dionne Warner, subject of my Never Leave Your Wingman book: "Live your life to the fullest!"

Inspiring Crash Harrison book goes to England

An author's wish is that their book will travel to destinations unknown and be appreciated by readers everywhere. In November 2023, my author friend Mary Harelkin Bishop helped my latest book get to England, to the hometown of the subject's parents. And I am grateful.

Reg "Crash" Harrison is a 102-year-old former bomber pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He survived four plane crashes - none of which were his fault - while serving in England during the Second World War. While writing Reg's life story in my award-winning Crash Harrison book, I learned about Reg's family background and his connections to England.

I wrote the book as though Reg was telling his story to the reader:

"My father, William Harrison, was born in the village of Bishop Wilton, about 14 miles east of York in northern England, and my mother, Nellie Harding, grew up in a village called Givendale that was just down the road. Both villages are in Yorkshire county...

"...England lost the cream of its youth in that war. My dad’s village of Bishop Wilton has a church that was built in 1916. There’s a cenotaph there (a memorial to people from that village who died in the First World War). All four sides of that cenotaph are covered with the names of men who never came back, including a family of five sons who were all killed. What a senseless, bloody war," Reg told me.

He went on to say, "As I mentioned, my parents knew each other in England. They dated while my dad was a soldier in the First World War. They got married in 1917, when my dad went home to Bishop Wilton on four days’ leave. After the First World War, my dad had an opportunity to go to New Zealand to work as a policeman, because his father was a policeman in Bishop Wilton. However, my dad really liked Canada and thought there was more opportunity for him here, so he and my mother packed up their belongings and moved to Canada."

Reg was born in 1922 in Saskatchewan, Canada, in the hamlet of Pheasant Forks, southeast of Yorkton. He began sharing more details of his war years when he was in his 80s, and his story has since become the subject of numerous news articles, documentaries, and my book.

Mary Harelkin Bishop has known Reg Harrison for decades, since they attended the same Presbyterian church in Saskatoon. I have worked with Mary for almost 20 years, as an editor and publisher of her work, and she has become a dear friend. In November 2023, Mary and her partner Pete took copies of my Crash Harrison book to England on their vacation. She sent me the photos below.

Thanks, Mary, for making this author's wishes come true!

Mary Harelkin Bishop with Crash Harrison book by Deana J Driver, at Bishop Wilton, England Nov 2023

Mary Harelkin Bishop with Crash Harrison book by Deana J Driver, in Bishop Wilton, England Nov 2023

Mary Harelkin Bishop donated a Crash Harrison book by Deana J Driver to the Pocklington Library, England Nov 2023. "They were pleased to receive it," Mary reports.

101-year-old WW2 pilot views Lancaster bomber during RCAF's 100th anniversary flight

Canada's only Avro Lancaster bomber in flying condition made a special stop in Saskatoon on July 18th to honour Reginald "Crash" Harrison, who flew Lancasters in the Second World War. And I, as the author and publisher of the book about Reg's intriguing life (Crash Harrison: Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death), was privileged to have a front-row seat at the event. It was a once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable experience!

More than 7,300 Avro Lancasters were in use at the end of the Second World War. Today, only two are flightworthy - one in the United Kingdom and this one, named after Andrew Mynarski, a mid-upper gunner from Winnipeg who died in service and was the first RCAF member to receive the Victoria Cross.

The Mynarski Memorial Lancaster left its home at the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Mount Hope, Ontario, to fly across Canada in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the RCAF. The Lancaster made a fuel stop in Saskatoon as part of a special tribute to war veteran Reg "Crash" Harrison.

The Mynarski Memorial Lancaster arrived at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum in Saskatoon on July 18, 2024

In 1944, at age 22, Reg Harrison flew Halifax and Lancaster bombers in the Royal Canadian Air Force from Croft Air Base in England. He completed 19 missions over France and Germany. He received credit for serving a full tour, being released from duty after he survived four aircraft crashes - none of which were his fault - including one in which he had to land a Lancaster on one wheel. His commanding officer did not want to risk that Reg would survive a Crash #5.

Reg Harrison landed this Lancaster in England in November 1944, after bullets from another plane caused one of the Lancaster's wheels to not come down. It was his 4th and final crash in the war.

The last time Reg Harrison flew a Lancaster was in December 1944, just after he was told he was released from service. Before he was sent back to Canada, he wanted to take the plane up one more time, and he was granted permission to do so with an engineer beside him. Reg flew a Lancaster for about 15 minutes that day, his Pilot's Flying Log Book records.

Reg will be 102 years old in mid-August. He has been looking forward to celebrating the 100th anniversary of the RCAF ever since I met him in 2019, when I was interviewing him for Volume 1 of the series Flight: Stories of Canadian Aviation.

Reg had hoped to see this Lancaster in the RCAF celebration air show at Cold Lake, Alberta on July 20th. Unfortunately, Reg caught a strange virus a couple weeks before the event, which left him weak and unable to make the trip to Cold Lake.

Fortunately, some fine folks in Saskatchewan's aviation community were making arrangements with the Warplane Heritage Museum to see if the Lancaster could stop in Saskatoon on its way to Cold Lake. A generous local donor paid for aviation fuel, ensuring that the Lancaster stopped for refuelling and a public viewing in Saskatoon, and a burger lunch contributed to a successful fundraiser for the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum as well.

Even more fortunately, Reg Harrison is a tough human being, and we wasn't going to let a virus keep him away from seeing the bomber. With the help of his daughters Marion and Laurie and his sister Sylvia, plus a huge amount of determination and a little stubbornness, Reg rebounded remarkably well and was at the aviation museum to see the Lancaster arrive.

The Saskatoon Airport Authority drove Reg, Laurie, and Sylvia out to the runway area so Reg could enjoy watching the aircraft land. Then their vehicle followed the plane in.

What a sight it was to see that big, loud aircraft taxi in toward the museum. 

As a retired journalist and the author of the book about Reg's life story, I couldn't just stand back and watch from the sidelines. Reg and I formed a strong bond during my interviews and writing process, and I wanted to stay close to him and the action during this day's events. (I am grateful to my author friend (who is also Reg's friend) Mary Harelkin Bishop, for handling my book sales table as I did things like run out onto the tarmac and convince the guard to allow me to join the family and working media members under the airplane's wing. Sometimes I just have to call on my extroverted ex-journalist persona to do what I need to do.)

At one point, I saw Reg standing alone under the airplane's wing. I was moved by the scene and I snapped these special photos.

Reg had tears in his eyes. So did his daughter and sister.

Fl. Lt. (Retired) Reginald "Crash" Harrison recalls his wartime experiences as he looks up at the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster bomber in Saskatoon, SK, July 18/24

Fl. Lt. (Retired) Reginald "Crash" Harrison gets emotional as he remembers wartime while viewing the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster in Saskatoon, SK, July 18/24

In general, it was a fantastic event for Reg Harrison. He was spry enough to spend 5 hours at the museum that day, including that long walk out to the aircraft and answering questions from journalists and others in the 35-degree Celsius heat. He did this all while wearing his uniform too! Reg cheerfully chatted with numerous visitors, including people who had a connection to his farming community and family, and he told many stories of his time in the service.

Reginald "Crash" Harrison speaks with media under the wing of a WWII Lancaster bomber in Saskatoon, July 18, 2024

Reg was delighted by this special day. He said this was an early birthday gift that topped all the surprises he's had in his life!

Come along and enjoy these photos of a terrific event that was designed to honour the people who served and their sacrifices in the Second World War.

As Reg Harrison says, he is grateful to be one of the lucky ones. Let us not forget those who served, especially those who did not come back. I thank Reg and all those who served. We must endeavour to never forget.

Author-publisher Deana J. Driver with Reginald "Crash" Harrison and the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum's Brian Eikel, July 18/24 

Reg Harrison chats with the Mynarski Lancaster pilots

Reg Harrison with the crew of the Mynarski Memorial Lancaster, July 18/14

Media scrum with Reg Harrison under the wing of the Lancaster

Reg "Crash" Harrison with author-publisher Deana J. Driver, Saskatoon, SK, July 18/24

Reg Harrison with Greg Yuel and Brian Swidrovich, who were instrumental in getting the Lancaster to stop in Saskatoon, July 18/24

Reg Harrison with his daughter Laurie Harrison (left) and sister Sylvia (Harrison) Acton

Walking back to the hangar and out of the sun

Author Deana Driver standing under the bomb bay of the Mynarski Lancaster

The cockpit of the Mynarski Lancaster with undercarriage open

The four-engine Avro Lancaster has a 31-metre wingspan

Reg "Crash" Harrison with the Mynarski Lancaster in the background, July 18, 2024, at the Saskatchewan Aviation Museum, Saskatoon, SK

Crash Harrison Bomber Pilot Book Coming Soon

My newest book is almost here! Crash Harrison: Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death will be released at the end of July, and I am SO EXCITED!

It's been 12 years since I wrote a full-size book.

Since my last full-size book (Never Leave Your Wingman: Dionne and Graham Warner's Story of Hope) was launched in June 2011, I have written and published The Sailor and the Christmas Trees (which is an inspiring 48-page Christmas story) and pieces in seven other books about farming and aviation. Writing and putting together this 176-page Crash Harrison book, however, has been its own unique and interesting journey.

The story is about Reginald "Crash" Harrison, a 100-year-old gentleman in Saskatoon who was a bomber pilot during the Second World War. He's had many fascinating adventures, including surviving several crashes and close calls, and has made some lifelong connections because of his time as a Second World War bomber pilot.

The printed proof of Crash Harrison arrived last week, and I am still a little overwhelmed by the reality of it all. The book is being printed! It will be here in late July!

Meeting Reg in May of 2019 when I interviewed him for the first volume of the Flight: Stories of Canadian Aviation series was an experience I’ll never forget. I’d talked to him by phone to find out some details of his story, but sitting across from him and watching as he thumbed through his Pilot’s Flying Log Book from the 1940s to fill in details of his missions was really special. I’d also never interviewed someone of that advanced age (he was 96 at the time).

Reg is a gentle, kind man. He doesn’t consider himself to be a hero. That alone makes him more worthy of the honour than most. For the first Flight book, I wrote about Reg’s wartime adventures and a little about his life after the war. Over the last couple of years, as I was contemplating which book I would write next and who it would be about, I couldn’t get Reg and his life story out of my mind. I knew I had to write his story and share it with a wider audience.

We spent many hours talking in person and on the phone, adding more details to my first interviews about his wartime and after-the-war activities. We also talked in depth about his growing-up years on the Prairies and what it was like to walk three miles to school, herd cattle in the dust storms of the Dirty Thirties in Saskatchewan, and do homework by the dim light of a coal oil lamp. He told me about the first airplane ride he ever took – as a teenager – and how he paid for that flight with weasel skins, how his parents kept their family fed during the Great Depression, and how he was never scared while doing his job as a bomber pilot.

Reg became one of the few Canadians in the famed “Guinea Pig Club” after receiving reconstructive skin graft surgery during the war. And he was named an “Honorary Snowbird” by the renowned Canadian Forces’ Snowbirds aerobatics display team, which flies under the same squadron number as Reg served during the war.

I wrote the book in Reg’s voice, as thought he is telling his own story.

The book is educational, with captivating tales of Reg’s adventures and his life. I am certain that Crash Harrison: Tales of a Bomber Pilot Who Defied Death will be enjoyed by readers from teens to seniors and I’m looking forward to launching it this summer and sharing it with all of you in the days and months ahead.

DriverWorks Ink is grateful to Creative Saskatchewan for Book Publishing Production grant support of this title.

Gift ideas for the Book Lover

Searching for a great gift for someone who loves to read? We recommend these terrific books written by Canadian authors. And they’re less than $30 a book!

All titles are available from https://driverworks.ca/books/

Tunnels of Time – Moose Jaw Time Travel Adventure #1. By Mary Harelkin Bishop:

Synopsis: This first book in the five-book series finds thirteen-year-old Andrea unhappily attending a boring family wedding in boring Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Andrea is annoyed that she is not on a class field trip to the mountains, and she barely listens when a local restaurant owner talks about the old days of gangsters and gamblers hiding in the tunnels below Moose Jaw. But when Andrea accidentally falls into one of those tunnels and finds herself back in 1920s Moose Jaw, the stories and danger become real. How will Andrea outsmart the gangsters who are demanding that she work for them? And will she ever see her family again?

Genres, subjects: Juvenile Fiction, Historical Fiction, Adventure, Time Travel, Family, Change; Co-operation; Friendship; Determination; Canadian History; Literacy; Education; Learning Resources; Prairie Provinces; Saskatchewan Author; Canadian author.

Audience: For ages 9 to adult

Fun On The Farm 3 – True Tales of Farm Life! Compiled and edited by Deana J. Driver:

Synopsis: Cranky cattle, ornery pigs, curious farm kids, tricky technology, and head-banging farmers are some of the hilarious memories shared by 20 Canadian Prairies writers, including author/ publisher Deana J. Driver, in this third and final volume of the popular Fun On The Farm series. Even more pranks, unexpected events, tricks, and delights of living and working on Western Canadian farms are recorded for posterity and the enjoyment of readers, bringing a satisfying end to this amusing series celebrating the lighter side of farming.

Genres, Subjects: Nonfiction; Anecdotes; Humour; Prairie Provinces; Canadian history; Fun; Farming; Rural life; Family life; Canadian authors.

Audience: Ages 13 to Adult

Don’t They Kick When You Do That? Stories of a Prairie Veterinarian. By Dr. Gary Hoium:

Synopsis: After graduating from veterinary college in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1984, Dr. Gary Hoium joined a mixed animal clinic in Weyburn. He spent the next almost 40 years serving animals of all shapes and sizes, and their human owners/handlers. He collected humorous and heartwarming stories of the creatures he met along the way, and he shares them in this compilation of his real-life adventures, mishaps, and successes. From cattle to hogs, cats to dogs, the creatures and men and women who love them have wormed their way into Gary Hoium’s heart … and his stories.

Genres, Subjects: Humour, Nonfiction; Veterinary medicine; Prairie Provinces; Canadian history; Farming; Rural life; Family life; Canadian author.

Audience: Ages 15 to Adult

 

Cream Money - Stories of Prairie People. Compiled and edited by Deana J. Driver:

Synopsis: In Western Canada in the 1900s, money earned from selling cream helped purchase groceries, fabric, farm supplies, and other items that could not be produced on the farm. While children cherished the occasional candy treat purchased with cream cheque money, children and adults alike enjoyed delicious foods cooked with homemade butter or covered with rich whipped cream. Cream Money honours this bygone era of Prairie farming, celebrating the work of farm families through true stories and poems of how cream money was earned and spent. Stories are written by: Deana J. Driver, Irene K. Bingham, Dora Shwaga, Cornelia Mary Bilinsky, Bryce Burnett, Jean Fahlman, Truus de Gooijer, Brenda Garbutt, Maurice Giroux, Jerry Holfeld, Janice Howden, Ryshia Kennie, Betty Harkness, Marilyn (Brown) Meyers, Linda Mikolayenko, Theodore D. Mikolayenko, Laurie Lynn Muirhead, Marion Mutala, Clara Puddell, Carrie Schemenauer, Carol McCullough, Lilleth Shantz, Eleanor Sinclair, Glenn Swallow, Roy Tollefson, Dexter van Dyke, Eleanor Wagner, Clifford Walker, and Ruth Wildeman.

Genres, Subjects: Nonfiction; Prairie Authors; Canadian Nonfiction; Biography; Prairie Provinces; Anecdotes; Farming; Rural Life; Canadian History; Family Life; Education, Canadian author.

Audience: For ages 13 to Adult

 

Miss G and Me. By Jennifer S. Wallace:

Synopsis: Author Jennifer Wallace explores the background of her mother, Ruth Williamson, aka “Miss G”, who grew up in Jamaica and left there at a young age, under her mother's direction, to pursue a nursing education in England. Ruth then chose her own path, which led her to Canada in the late 1960s. Unlike many immigrants from the Caribbean at that time, Ruth ended up in rural Saskatchewan, working as a nurse while adjusting to the culture and climate of the Canadian Prairies. Jennifer unravels some of the mysteries of her mother’s life, with the use of anecdotes, journals, poetry, and personal essays to weave together the story of Miss G and her mother’s impact on her own family.

Genres, Subjects: Nonfiction, Memoir, Poetry, Essays, Journals; Black history; Biography & Autobiography / Cultural, Ethnic & Regional / African American & Black; Family & Relationships / Multiracial Families; Canadian history; Prairie Provinces; Canadian author.

Audience: Ages 12 to Adult

You Are Enough – Activate Your Angels & Magnetize a Soul-FULL Life. By Lisa Driver:

Synopsis: In this, her fourth spiritual guidebook, award-winning author Lisa Driver will help you reconnect with your spiritual radiance, reminding you of your Divine perfection. She shares her personal journey along with spiritual tools – such as channeled meditations, Angel Activations, exercises, and journal prompts – to help you heal your need to achieve, stop sabotaging yourself, and make room for pockets of rest, reflection, acceptance, and clarity. Feel the love of your angels and ancestors as they encourage you to let go of the past and the pressure you feel. You are loved. You are supported, You Are Enough.

Genres, Subjects: Spiritual wellness; Nonfiction; Healing; Angels; Faith; Health; Biography; Alberta author; Canadian author.

Audience: Ages 15 to Adult

  

Flight - Stories of Canadian Aviation, Vol. 3. By Deana J. Driver & Contributors:

Synopsis: Canadian aviation enthusiasts, pilots, and other aviation personnel share stories of tense flights, perilous routes, historic achievements, impressive flying adventures and more in this salute to Canada’s aviation industry and people. In this third volume of the series, stories revolve around precarious landings, hidden airstrips, annoying passengers, the joys and perils of aerial crop spraying, and more. Six stories and introduction are written by Deana J. Driver and 27 stories are written by 14 other Canadian writers: Bill Cameron, Will Chabun, Richard Dowson, Peter Enzlberger, Mary Harelkin Bishop, Dave McElroy, Vincent Murphy-Dodds, Curtis Penner, Don Riekman, Ralph Tweten, Walter D. Williams, Ken Wilson, Mason Adam Wray, and Bill Wunsch.

Genres, Subjects: Nonfiction; Transportation; Aviation; Short stories; Anecdotes; Aviation history; Military; Canadian history; Prairie Provinces; Canadian authors.

Audience: Ages 13 to Adult

Running the Riders - My Decade as CEO of Canada's Team. By Jim Hopson with Darrell Davis:

Synopsis: In 2004, offensive lineman-turned-educator Jim Hopson was hopeful that the floundering Saskatchewan Roughriders directors would hire him as the team’s first full-time president and CEO. He believed that the team, with its incredible fan base, could become a successful business that consistently posted strong annual profits while playing in and winning multiple Grey Cups. And it happened. After a decade under Hopson’s leadership (2005 to 2015), the Roughriders became the Canadian Football League's strongest franchise. This is Jim’s story of the struggles, successes, and steps taken to victory. Darrell Davis, an author and long-time sportswriter and Roughriders-beat writer at the Regina Leader-Post, assisted Jim in co-authoring this book.

Genres, Subjects: Nonfiction; Saskatchewan Roughriders; Sports; Canadian Football League; Prairie Provinces; Business; Leadership; Education; Saskatchewan teacher; Saskatchewan author; Canadian author.

Audience: Ages 15 to Adult

The Sailor and the Christmas Trees - A True Story. By Deana Driver:

Synopsis: As a sailor in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, John Hanlon of Brandon, Manitoba, knew they would be at sea on Christmas Day 1944. So when they docked in St. John's, Newfoundland, he decided that he and some other sailors should go up a nearby hill and cut down a few evergreen trees, then hide them on the ship. ​On Christmas morning 1944, in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on their way back to Canada from England, John and his friends pulled out those trees and surprised their fellow shipmates with a hearty “Merry Christmas” wish! They also shared this unexpected Christmas gift with some small English children on another ship in that convoy, who were being transported to safety in Canada.

Genres, Subjects: Children's nonfiction; Second World War; Canadian history; Canadian sailor; Royal Canadian Navy; Royal Canadian Legion; Canadian war hero; Inspirational nonfiction; Early reader; Manitoba sailor; Saskatchewan author; Canadian author.

Audience: Ages 8 and Up

The Little Coat – The Bob and Sue Elliott Story. By Alan J. Buick:

Synopsis: Bob Elliott, a 19-year-old Canadian tank commander, met Sussie Cretier, a feisty 10-year-old Dutch girl, during the Second World War. Sussie's family had run across a minefield, dodging German bullets to seek refuge with the Canadian soldiers. Sussie quickly became a good-luck charm and beacon of hope for the weary Canadian troops. On Christmas Day 1944, the Canadians honoured their little adopted soldier with a special Army-style coat they ordered from a local seamstress. Decades later, the relationship between Sussie (Sue) and Bob not only endured but flourished. Due to this book, Sue’s little coat is now a Canadian artifact in the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.

Genres, Subjects: Nonfiction; Canadian history; Second World War; Canadian hero; Dutch girl; Canadian Armed Forces; Netherlands; Inspirational nonfiction; Biography; Love story; Literacy; Canadian War Museum; Canadian wartime artifact; Sussie Cretier's child’s coat; Royal Canadian Legion; Saskatchewan author; Canadian author.

Audience: Ages 10 to Adult