Carl Dow was for many years a journalist with such publications as The Globe and Mail and the late Toronto Telegram and Montreal Star. As such, he received a number of recognitions, including a nomination for a National Newspaper Award. While writing for national magazines, Alan Walker, then managing editor of The Canadian, said that he was one of the top ten writers in the country.
Carl has edited tabloid and broadsheet dailies and weeklies, and monthly magazines. He has written for television and radio and has been on camera and behind the microphone. As youth editor of The Montreal Star he was the first newspaper columnist in North America to praise The Beatles.
Outside of journalism and publishing, he has worked as a labourer in farming and construction, sub-contractor in new-housing floor and wall tile installation, cost accountant, and truck driver. However, his all-time favourite employment was the eight years he spent as a part-time school bus driver while writing the short stories which became The Old Man’s Last Sauna. and several novels, including Black Grass and Wildflowers: The Women Who Made McCord Chronicle (coming in 2021 from The BumblePuppy Press).
Until recently, he kept his hand in journalism as editor and publisher of True North Perspective on Second Thought. The online news magazine is currently on hiatus, but is archived at www.truenorthperspective.com.
He is the proud father of two sons, Geoffrey and Thomas, in order of appearance, both of whom are writers and editors in their own right, and the delighted grandfather of two grand-daughters.
He doesn’t spend much time there, but you might be able to find him on Facebook.
Carl Dow lives in Ottawa. He does not have a cat.