Clandestine

Born in Montreal, Quebec Canada in 1979, I grew up in a household comprised of both physical and mental abuse. Most of it derived from my father, although my mother did have her share of dramas as well. It was at the age of seven, however, where the most pivotal and traumatic event occurred. It was the passing of my Godmother that really laid the foundation of the man I would eventually become. I loved her like a mother and she regarded me as her son.

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Born in Montreal, Quebec Canada in 1979, I grew up in a household comprised of both physical and mental abuse. Most of it derived from my father, although my mother did have her share of dramas as well. It was at the age of seven, however, where the most pivotal and traumatic event occurred. It was the passing of my Godmother that really laid the foundation of the man I would eventually become. I loved her like a mother and she regarded me as her son. Regrettably, one evening I was extremely rude and tactless with her on the phone. She died the following morning at the young age of thirty-three. As a child, I was convinced that my harsh words were somehow responsible for her untimely death. It perhaps served as an extreme shock to my subconscious mind that I developed quite the stutter. For several years I struggled with my vocal chords. Being raised in a God-fearing house, I believed that this was punishment for killing my Godmother with my words.

For several years I resorted to writing as my only means of expression. It perhaps started as a diary or journal but then evolved to much more. I grew tired of writing about myself and decided to make up characters and put them through heartache and challenges. Little did I know at the time that this would eventually lead to a passion. For years I’ve been perfecting my craft and understanding the fundamentals in telling a captivating story.

Although, I still occasionally stutter, I no longer regard it as a blemish or my own personal nemesis. I’ve learned to embrace the burden that gave birth to the wonderful gift of story-telling. And as for the heavy ordeal that occurred at the fledgling age of seven; I do understand, sorrowful as it was, it was not my fault. It also helped me understand that characters are not always black and white, but that there is sometimes good in the bad and bad in the good. This knowledge helps me develop character-driven stories where a substantial amount of depth is found in both the protagonist and antagonist.

I hope to continue to share wonderful stories with the world. I wish to make everyone laugh with my comedy, cry with my dramas and be absolutely horrified with my horrors.

Tom Carreiro

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