Longlisted for the 2009 Relit Award for the novelJarod Palmer is a 32yearold Toronto writer waiting for his big breakthough a small one will do. Haunted by his story of tragic teenage sweethearts in smalltown Nova Scotiafeaturing the unforgettable Lana BananaJarod is infected by the ancient mariners curse on all young unpublished novelists to tell the tale. The problem is that he is trying to pursue his solitary and introspective task in a city that feels like a film set the lights are on all the time.Between answering constant phone calls from his doting overprotective mother and a perpetually neurotic alcoholic and soontobedivorced film producer determined to convince Jarod into plying his trade for the dark side Jarod finds time to communicate just as ineffectively with his volatile Spanish girlfriend.His pursuit of work gives new meaning to the term odd job dishwasher copywriter telemarketer doortodoor salesman film set gofer .