Tales of the Forest, the Mountain and the Garden

Tales is a storybook of allegories where animals and humans confront and overcome hard decisions. The UNICORN is feared by other animals until a forest fire gives him the opportunity to show that he is not only one of them, but also their saviour. In NINE WILD PIGLETS, the runt of the litter, through cleverness and cunning, overcomes all odds and becomes the leader of all his siblings. In ONE HUNDRED SQUIRRELS, three armies, Red, Gray and Black, are set to fight to the death for a cottage-sized section of the Forest until four yellow squirrels convince them of the futility of war. In the last story, ONE MILLION BEETLES, all the animals of the Forest and their Hunters meet on the night of The Moon of Blood and, through the intervention of the light of these million fireflies, form an understanding for everlasting peace between them.

Charles P. Helmsville was born and brought up in rural England, becoming a Queen’s Scout at 15 years old and one of the earliest recipients of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (gold standard). At school, he was the captain of the first 15 rugby team and vice-captain of the first 11 cricket. Through his local Youth Club, he represented his county in a number of regional drama festivals and public speaking competitions.

He has travelled extensively and has lived in Western Australia, Victoria Australia, and Toronto, Canada, where he presently resides with his wife. He has two married sons, both lawyers, one practicing locally, the other in San Francisco, California. He also has three granddaughters and a grandson, with all of whom he spends as much time as possible.

Charles himself served half a century in the legal profession, his early years as a solicitor’s clerk, then a legal executive, and the latter 40 years as an articled student and a barrister of the Supreme Court of Ontario, practicing civil litigation as a member of The Law Society of Upper Canada. Since withdrawing from the practice, he firmly renounces the “R” word and is now an Introspectionist and a Writer.

Charles has a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of London, and a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree from Osgoode Hall Law School of York University, Toronto. He is also an Associate of the Australian College of Theology and an Officer of the Order of St. John.