I first found the SKMB in 2009 and got the same warm, genuine welcome from JD. He got me started on my first DT journey and it changed the way I read everything. I can't believe it's been so long since we lost him.Hello, my friends.
Hope you are all well and that life is treating you gently.
Over on FB, we are having a little, annual short story contest, nothing fancy, just for fun and it`s named in John`s honor.
So, for people who don`t know who he is, I wrote a short introduction and thought maybe you would like to read it as well.
And maybe there are people here by now who don`t know John so...it`s never a bad thing to remember our brother....
*~*~* GATHER AROUND, KA-TET, WE HAVE A STORY TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE WRITING CONTEST:*~*~*
My dear Ka-Tet, let me tell you a tale about Sai John Dalglish and why this contest is named after him:
In a time long ago, back in 2008, I was looking for a forum related to Stephen King, I wasn`t aware at that time of the existence of the official Stephen King Message Board (SKMB) But, as KA wanted it, I found it pretty fast.
There was this section for newbies ( still is there, of course) and I introduced myself briefly, I was shy, I didn`t know exactly what to say, so I told a little story about the civil war that happened in my old country, Serbia, and all the things that happened there and still haunt me. And signed off.
It sounded stupid to me, if I could have, I would have deleted it, who am I to just barge in there and tell a story of atrocities and then just vanish the second I pressed the "post" button..
But I couldn`t delete it and I did not log in again for about 2 weeks.
When I did get back, there was a private message waiting for me, from a guy named John Dalglish.
Warm, heartfelt words, a real welcome, encouragement, a real, virtual hug...which felt like a real hug, that`s how his words hit me.
Over time, we developed a deep and honest friendship, one that a person only can wish for in real life. I could and would tell him anything, good or bad, and John would be there, listening, giving advice, he would laugh with me, he would cry with me, but whatever it was..he was always there for me.
As he was for anybody else.
No matter if the member was new or already well known on the boards, John was a friend and brother to anyone.
He`d comment on anyone`s posts, danced when people got married, had birthdays or had kids, he`d be the shoulder to cry on when something bad happened to any of us.
When someone was in doubt about a King book, like " should I read this, why would a story about a haunted CAR be interesting? " John would tell you how well it was written, how it`s well worth your time and even if you didn`t like the subject, he promised you you would like the story. And you would.
When he was around, the board was full of life, laughter, great friendship, we all indeed felt like we are part of the SK Universe, a true Ka-Tet.
Oh, and how he loved the DT series. He could and would talk about it night and day, read and re-read it, quote it, help new readers understand what is going on there, that it`s not about the ending, that it`s all about the journey and that one should enjoy the journey.
And then, one day, he told us he wasn`t feeling his best lately, that he would post a bit less in the times to come, that he needs to take care of something.
He cared and loved us so much that he didn`t reveal to too many people that he was terminally ill, that time was short and that he was heading towards the clearing at the end of the path.
To me, and a few others, he said in private, in his, Scottish, style : " Brother, I`m dying. But don`t be afraid, dying is not for p*****s. And I`m not one. I will always be there, but as Sai said...there are other worlds than these and I have to go."
And so he went, quietly, he wanted for people to still be the Ka-Tet we became, even without him, our Dinh.
The board grew quiet, the Horn of Eld was silent, Roland stopped dead in his tracks, Oy fled for the woods.
But he loved to write. He enjoyed little contests, like this one, he would read and read and read hundreds of stories people would submit, not once would he tell anyone that his story was bad, or even mediocre...every story had something good and marvelous in it.
And that`s why we are making this contest in his honor, that`s why we named it after him...
`Cause, be sure, my dear Constant Readers and Writers...that John is gonna stand by the Tower, read all of the stories and send you a rose when he is done reading.
The Horn of Eld will not be silent after all and once you submit your story to us, if you wake up in the middle of the night and think you can smell roses in your room...you can, it`s not a dream...
It`s Johnny boy, as I loved to call him, sending you his love and smiling at his friend who had the courage to show his talent to the world...
In loving memory of John Dalglish, 1947 - 2011.
Me too! One of my treasured memories of John. When I figured that out and had such a eureka moment in my head. I told him (and everyone) I thought it was one of his favorite Scottish foods! 
