Look Them In The Eyes
by Dennis Mantin

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Following the birth of his daughter, Jackie, middle-aged Zach MacIver is determined to stop what he terms “intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction” from plaguing his family. Over the course of two years, from the time Jackie is eight until she turns ten, Zach recounts his life experiences to her while attempting to navigate the obstacles created by her mother, Tina, who is experiencing her own version of intergenerational transmission of family dysfunction. The story begins during the COVID-19 pandemic when the world and its inhabitants face mounting daily trials and life-altering decisions. From there the narrative proceeds in a non-linear fashion as Zach recounts the roots of his own dysfunction and how his love for his daughter and his desire to be a good father forced him to face his difficulties head on. American author Jim Thompson once wrote, “There are thirty-two ways to write a story, and I’ve used every one, but there is only one plot—things are not as they seem.” This story is a great reminder of that.

www.dennismantin.com

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Dennis Mantin is a Toronto-based writer, artist, and filmmaker. Born in Toronto, he grew up in rural Nova Scotia, where he was introduced to creative writing and painting. In 1992, Mantin dedicated himself to painting, during which time he met the extraordinary Canadian poetic painter, Paul Fournier, forming a lifelong creative friendship. After a decade of painting in Toronto, raising a family and other life circumstances forced Dennis to refocus his attention. In May 2014, Dennis returned to painting and was invited to share Fournier’s studio, which culminated in a solo exhibition of thirteen paintings at Toronto’s Abbozzo Gallery. The exhibition was entitled “The Meditation,” which alludes to Mantin’s dedication to the practice and study of mindfulness meditation. While working on “The Meditation,” Mantin was encouraged to re-examine his writings, which stimulated a revision of a short screenplay he had authored twenty years earlier. In 2016, that script was turned into a short film, also titled The Meditation, which won an honourable mention for narrative at the Top Shorts Online Film Festival. Dennis lives in Toronto with his daughter, Zylia. This is his first book.

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Contributors

Author

Dennis Mantin

Editor

Caroline Kaiser

Editor

Allen Satterfield

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