Idea For Gumroad and other Services for Online Sales

Idea For Gumroad and other Services for Online Sales

So, in my last post here, I pointed out how I am running an experiment on Gumroad.

Here is the link again where you can buy a pdf of Danger.

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - raw and mostly unedited

Well, since I want to run some other experiments and some of them involve "digital products" that I create with other people, I go to thinking again... (I tend to do that on occasion...) Well, I have had thisidea before and may have even discussed it before but I had it again and decided to ping Gumroad with it:

----------
I do quite a few project based collaborations. It would be very helpful if when we put the results of such a collaboration on sale here at gumroad if we could specify a payment split.

For instance:

Product A - 50% to Person 1 and 50% to Person 2.

then for:

Product B - 50% to Person 1 and 30% to Person 2 and 20% to person 3.

Is there a current way to do this? If so, how? If not, what are the chances of getting this feature implemented? I think many people would find such a feature useful.

It would make ad hoc, project based collaborations so much cleaner from the creatives' end.
----------

I got a semi-encouraging reply:

"Hi,

there isn’t a way to do this, besides doing it after the fact (outside of Gumroad). It would be a cool feature that we’d love to support one day."

----------

Hopefully, one day soon they will implement this. I know I can't be the only person who would love to be able to make ad hoc collaborations so much easier to deal with online.

Thoughts?

Buy the basically raw pdf at Gumroad.

Well,

let's give this a try.


Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - raw and mostly unedited

Hopefully, if you click on that link right there, you will be taken to a page where you can get the complete pdf for $2.00 or whatever above that you care to pay.

I have not been at my old job since May and am looking around for the right opportunity as well as running experiments looking at building other sources of income, especially online income, and super duper extra especially by a Bahamian living in the Bahamas.

I expect to start a blog to document my experiments and the results I get soon.

I have something going on Fiverr:

drewRoberts at Fiverr.com

I am setting up an Indiegogo project as an experiment but am held up trying to get a business paypal account sorted out. Odd that I even need to do that as I do not consider myself to actually be in business at this point. Rather I am looking around, doing research, and seeing if it makes sense to go into business again and, if so, which business or businesses.

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 30

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 30

(1:53 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

And now for this last and perhaps most difficult day of the two thousand and seven NaNo season. This day where so many things are competing with each other for my time. That one slippery ingredient necessary for a modicum of NaNo success.

(2:39 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

There it goes again, slipping away to who knows where. I hope it's not sitting on a pillow somewhere. Waiting for a phone call that is unlikely now on account of someone losing that number even when warned repeatedly not to do so. I mean, teens. Music. What have you? Not a lot I take it. Is is sliding away too? Who knows? Perhaps Tommy does. Riding on a rocket somewhere in his two tone shoes and looking for a fight on a Saturday night even though it is only Friday. At least he is one spaceman that likes to plan ahead. And you should see his twisty sister when she is rocking and rolling. That's one thing she can do. Well, that and ride the horses down on the corner of fourty second street.

Unravel that with your pleasant valley sunsets and your letters to some girl name of Maria who refuses to take dictation any longer ever since the man behind the blue eyes whispered in her ears and told her that she should rise above that because she was born free after all. Ever since she and Susie went into business with Laura and Peggy and some biker chick.

(2:54 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

(3:51 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

There it goes again. How does it manage to do that to me so often?

(4:04 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

And yet again! Ahhhhhhh! Stop it!

Sometimes is falls away in huge, massive, hulking clumps and sometimes in smaller bits, but don't blink because it will be gone and you will not even see it going.

So, where shall we go now, gentle reader? Who shall we look in on after a day of rest? Their time, not ours. It can get tricky can't it?

One thing to do should you ever find yourself in a situation similar to the one I am currently in is to just keep putting the words down on the page. Force them out. Give them their marching orders. Keep them moving. Pretend they are a flock of sheep and get yourself a border collie to help you herd them. Yes, that's the ticket, a flock of words and you have yourself a trusty word dog to keep them moving.

So, do we even want to go and look in on any of these Danger characters today at all? Should we just spend a pleasant afternoon together shooting the breeze and get back to them at some future date should we feel so inclined? That does sound a bit tempting on my end gentler reader, how about from your Fearless Reader point of view? What do you say?

(4:12 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

(4:28 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

Oh, man! Why can't I get a handle on this? It is just crazy... What is a poor author in training to do? Must time always be an enemy? Or can you make an ally of it and sail smoothly for long periods?

As they say... Only time will tell... Sorry, gentle reader, couldn't resist.

*** A Salvage Vessel Anchoured Off Of The North Shore Of Ambergris Cay, Abaco

The helicopter team is in control. About a half of the former crew have been flown off to parts unknown. Mandy chose who was to stay and who was to go after extensive questioning of the crew.

Reg raged against Jack and acted all uncooperative and belligerent and was setting a bad example for the rest of the crew, refusing to answer any questions and trying to attack and escape in turn. Well, until Jack offered publically to help with the questioning, said questioning he suggested should take place in public.

In the end, his actions may have been more help than harm. When the crew saw his immediate and visible collapse and complete about face at Jack's suggestion, most of them decided to co-operate as well. It seems he had been telling them of his experience at night below decks and telling how it wasn't so bad and that the next time he was ready and would resist to the end. Then his chance came to resist and he crumbled.

mandy wsa surprised at this but was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth. She got on with her questioning and made her choices. She kept Reg and the crew of divers aboard to put to work on the project and sent the rest away. Well, except for the ships captain and the boss.

The boss, she kept under guard below decks. There was something about the man that made Jack think he had met him before but he couldn't quite place him.

The captain she kept on the bridge, also under guard, station keeping.

The divers she sent back down to raise the prize.

(4:49 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

(5:05 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

(5:36 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

Vida interrupciones arte

Interrompt la vie artistique

Life onderbreekt kunst

Leben Interrupts Kunst

Vita interrompe arte

Life interrompe arte

Like I say:

Life interrupts art

And so it does.

Way too often it seems and it is going to do so once again much too soon I fear.

*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco

"Look Golden Child, it has been quiet up there for a good long while now. I say we just sail on over that way and hail them and see if we can see anyhting. Come on. It will be exciting."

Golden Child could not deny that, well, at least that it could prove exciting, but what she feared was that it would be dangerous. More dangerous than that bull they had pulled in the other night. The one with fresh body parts in his stomach when they cut him open, the one with fresh bang stick damage to his pectoral fin, the one who had been trying to get them and ruin their honeymoon. Honeymoon! "Fred, come on baby, wew are on our honeymoon. Let's enjoy each other. "Aren't I enough excitement for you?" she saya and winks seductively. "Wouldn't you rather go below and tell each other exciting stories?"

"Oh, come on Goldy! You know that is not fair!"

"Who said anything about fair?" she smiles, standing up and heading for the hatch, beginning to pull up her T-shirt as she starts to climb down the ladder.

"Who said anything about fair indeed?" laughs Fred, jumping up and following her.

"Put on some music tiger."

(5:51 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

(9:13 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

when you're home and lonely

on a friday night

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

when the days grow longer

and the night's too bright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

when your best emotion's

either fight or flight

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

when your heart comes crashin

to the ground at night

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

*** A Lonely Room

Well gentle reader, I know you may be getting tired of hearing this one, but I am getting tired of loving through it myself.

The No Voltage Blues

I got the no voltage blues

I got the no voltage blues

Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me

I got the no voltage blues

My U.P.S. is beepin

It wakes me from my dream

And man she was a sweet ting

Ate least thats how it seemed

I got the no voltage blues

I got the no voltage blues

Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me

I got the no voltage blues

My A.C.'s sittin quiet

My room is gettin warm

I lie right here and sigh it

Aint no sign of a storm

I got the no voltage blues

I got the no voltage blues

Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me

I got the no voltage blues

I'm tryin to write my novel

In thirty short, short days

And now just like the last year

Gots to pray they change their ways

I got the no voltage blues

I got the no voltage blues

Yeah, B.E.C. is messin with me

I got the no voltage blues

You guessed it gentle reader, I got home from dinner with my son and got us ready for bed, I had the computer on ready to write and was just looking for a book to read my son while putting him to bed. BAM! The No Voltage Blues. Luckily, once again, only for a relatively short time, but COME ON! What is this electrickery company up to that they have to keep cutting off the power this month for ten to twenty minutes at a time. I know I have mentioned a decent number of those times, but I really don't think I have come close to mentioning them all.

(9:21 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco

One particular ocean

One particular bay

One particular sailboat / surfboard

Every wind blowin my way / wave breaking my way

One particular moment

One particular day

One particular girlfriend

Every thing going OK

One particular lover

One particular play

One particular ending

Now I've nothing more to say

"Are you sure you have nothing more to say tiger?"

"Mmmmmmm."

(9:26 pm Friday Nov 30, 2007)

"Mmmmmmm."

"Mmmmmmm."

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 29

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 29

(3:06 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Hey there gentle reader, getting very close to the end now. Of the month, not necessarily of the story. Or at least of the writing of the story.

Today and tomorrow. Can we pull it off together? Two thousand plus today and two thousand plus tomorrow somehow and we can call it a pretty good NaNo month. Only one day of not reaching quota if the next two pan out. But will they pan out.

(Cue ominous music......)

Yes, indeed, two more days and then a minor celebration. If only we had more writers doing this here on the rock. Then we could have us an after party and live it up.

I guess I have another thing to add to my list for next year. As well as all of the literary things that I need to learn by then, I need to become a better promoter and organizer. I think I may have a better change of learning the writing skills than the others though.

Would you like to try your hand at writing your novel next year, gentle reader? (Are you living on the rock? Not on the rocks, mind you, on the rock as in on New Providence or in Nassau. The rock. You Gibraltar people don't pay any mind to us please.)

(3:16 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

Well, a little house keeping on yesterday's work and we may be ready to try and churn out some serious words. Do we have the concepts ready for today though? Time is flowing by in never ending bits. Chopped fine but flowing swiftly.

(3:30 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

I can't get the gears to really start turning properly right now... Think. Think. Think.

*** A Salvage Vessel Anchoured Off Of The North Shore Of Ambergris Cay, Abaco (Last Night)

"Alright Reg, I guess you can't send a crew back down tonight. Get everything squared away and we will get going again first thing in the morning."

"OK, boss, That would be most wise. We are pushing things to the limit with these dives. I think I will set some shark lines tonight and see if we can bring our intruder to justice."

"Don't you think you might run the risk of attracting others?" says the voice from the shadows.

"Could be, but this one was a bit too aggressive. I would gladly trade two or three normal sharks for him. I don't fancy being back in the water with him still hanging around.

*** Inside Of Some Helicopters Approaching Ambergris Cay, Abaco

The helicopters are once again down low, almost at sea level. They are making good speed but begin to slow down and then come to a stop and simply hover.

The doors on the side are opened and the helicopters oriented so that those inside can see in the direction of a salvage vessel anchoured in the vicinity.

"There they are. We have reports that they have had a set back and that almost all of the activity of the last few days has died off. Things are very quiet down there now it seems." says Mandy.

"So, are we going to hit them now?" asks Jack.

"That's the plan. I want you and Sarai to hang back and let us secure things before coming aboard."

"I thought we had been through all of this before and settled it Mandy," says Sarai.

"That's how I remember it," says Jack.

"Look, you are here, let that be good enough."

"I for one am not here for good enough," says Jack, "I am here for the whole game, let's not argue the point anymore."

"So am I," says Sarai.

"Stubborn people. Stubborn. Let's do this then."

(3:54 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

(4:28 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

Well, they went in low and silent and they did it. The action lit the night sky and thundered over the waves.

*** Beach On The Far End Of Nun Jack, Abaco

Fred and Golden Child are sitting on the beach near a small fire surrounded by conch shells. There is a line running from a casuarina tree above the sand down to and out into the water. It is a shark line.

"Throw some more chum in Fred. I want to get that bad boy tonight for sure."

Fred gets up and goes over to a five gallon paint bucket a little way down the beach and picks up an old tin cup from the sand beside it. He dips up a cup of nastiness and walks down to the edge of the water. As carefully as he can, so as not to get any nasty on himself, he throws the grossness out into the water as far as he can. Then he reaches down and rinses the cup and his hands in the cool water.

He walks back up to the paint bucked and drops the cup back into the sand before walking back to the fire and his heart.

(4:52 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

(5:44 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

"Hey sweety. Miss me?"

"You know it! Tiger," growls Golden Child, "OK, we are going to get him now."

They sit side by side on the sand, holding hands, making small talk, roasting hot dogs on the fire and watching for signs on the line.

Well after dinner, they have been laying back and looking at the stars and talking deep space for a while. With Golden Child peeking at the line from time to time. They are starting to get drowsy when Fred peeks over at the line and sees a message waiting.

"Goldy, I think we have some action."

"What?" says Goldy rolling towards him and into his arms, "Action is it? I thought you would never get around to action!"

Fred pushes her off laughing and pointing at the line, "Oh I wish sweets, but that is the action to which I refer."

She elbows him in his solar plexus as she rolls to look at the line. "OK, Mr. Formal, I'll take that action for now!" she says jumping to her feet and running for the line.

Fred is up and running behind her, but slowly, trying to catch his breath.

Whatever is on the other end of the line runs them all over the beach for a while and then suddenly a light and thunder show breaks out somewhere to the north and west of them out over the water.

"What is that?"

"I don't know sweets, but it must be something major."

"Sounds like a battle to me," says Golden Child.

"A Battle? Are you sure?"

"That's what it sounds like."

They are not paying attention to the line and it sweeps along the beach and trips them down as it passes.

They struggle back up from the pile they are in and run to grab it again.

"Let's finish this quickly and them maybe we can go have a look and see what is going on."

"I am all for finishing this, but we are not going to go anywhere near there tonight Fred. It will be way too dangerous."

(6:16 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

(7:34 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

"We could take the dingy and keep quiet and stay far enough away so they don't notice us. If I take the binoculars we should be able to see something interesting from a distance."

"Let's get this bad boy on the beach! Pull! Look, if you want to get the binoculars and see what you can see from here, fine, but we... are... not... going... near... there... Pull! in... the... dinghy. Trust me on this my husband."

*** In The Very Spacious Salon Of A Mega Yacht Some Where In The Waters Of The Abacos

Horse Rider rushes into the Salon out of breath. "We may have waited too long Moon Daughter, things have gone wrong on the research vessel. They have been attacked. We don't know who is behind it. Should I call the others and mobilize?"

"What does Man Tears have to say Horse Rider? What can we hope to gain by going now?"

"I say we go now and overcome the attackers and then finish the job ourselves."

"We could, yes, but you know my plan is to let out foes do all the work they can before we snatch away the spoils. We are much better off behind the scene for now. We didn't fare too well on that other little action you and Dirge Singer got up to did we?"

"No, Moon Daughter, but this is different. You know the reports said they were raising something significant."

"Significant how, sister? Large and substantial, yes, but of importance, who is to say? It may turn out to be nothing of value. And are we to reveal ourselves early in the game for a bauble? I think not."

"But, it is not early in the game Moon Daughter. The game is well advanced."

"Little sister, let me be the judge of the game's stages please. Go now and send Silver One to me, I need to discuss some plans with her."

(7:49 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

Horse Rider leaves and Moon Daughter sits down in on a sofa and puts her head in her hands and sighs.

After a short while, Silver One comes in and sits beside her. "Are you OK, Moon Daughter?"

"Yes, I'm fine, things are getting a bit complicated though. I think I want to take us a bit closer to the action tonight though. Would you tell the captain to take us into the area of Green Turtle Cay from the south please, then come back and discuss some things with me please."

"OK, Moon Daughter, I will be back soon."

(8:21 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Well gentle reader, I didn't actually plan it that way, but things seem to be coming to a head up around Nun Jack. What I am wondering right now though is if this will be the climax, or just the second door, if there is a bigger build up down the road.

I am getting close to my quota for the day and that feels good. I really didn't think I would make it today and tomorrow is even less likely but I will try.

I am not sure where to go for the rest of the night, but perhaps some inspiration will strike. We shall see what we see. Shall we?

(8:34 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

*** Shack Near Beach

Ronnie is at the computer again.

He is just noodling around here and there, wasting time. Chatting with friends scattered around the world. Reading some more foolishness by that guy who wrote 'Tings - Anuddah Bahamian Novel' and listening to Free copyleft music that he is finding here and there.

He comes across a site where some guy is putting down bits of lyrics and asking others to work on finishing them with him.

I'm going to a place

Where the past is free to roam

Where no one knows my face

And I can find a home

I want wide open spaces

Cause I'm weary to the bone

So I'm seeking out a place

Where the past is free to roam

--

My feet are in the sky and

My head is on the ground

My heart is in the gutter

On the other side of town

Girl I love you better

Every time around

--

I want to have a taste

Of someone else's honey

Want to grab me a pile

Of someone else's money

I want to live my life

Like the Sunday funnies

So I bought me a guide

Written just for dummies

--

The consequences have unraveled

The girl's defences have all flown

Her best pretenses lie in ashes

Now life is senseless, she's alone

Tonight the boys are in the jungle

They're hunting fresh meat every one

Until the moon hides in the ocean

They head on home, here comes the sun

--

I'm not your dream

I'm not your joy

I'm not your favourite

Plastic Boy

But if you touch me

Under the stars

I'll be your man

And you can drive my car

--

I'm not happy bout the sound of your clothes

The high end's fine but the low end blows

And as for the midrange, no one knows

Girl we gotta do something bout the sound of them clothes.

--

I'm just a few hurts short of being in tune

But baby it seems you'll fix that soon

My life was alright till you turned up the gloom

Now I'm a few hurts short of being in tune

--

Through your eyes

I see the lies

And rise above

Their dark disguise

When morning and

The evening flies away.

Girl in my heart

I've made a start

Come join me now and

Be a part of day.

--

He thinks he may try to get in on that game. Some of them look like they might go somewhere.

(8:59 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 28

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 28

(2:10 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Hmmm. Hey there gentle reader. How are things with you today?

(3:20 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

Where does it go? Are there perhaps ants in my pants that I am unaware of? Is that why I can't sit still to write sometimes? It must be more than that though because there are times when I sit right here and still can't manage to write fit a kick.

Shall I do as I was thinking about last night and just excuse myself from the two thousand a day quota and instead go back and try to find a story some where amidst all these words that already exist. I really would prefer to go on making quota if I can manage it and look for the story in December or January perhaps.

*** In The Very Spacious Salon Of A Mega Yacht Some Where In The Waters Of The Bahamas

"Sisters, every time we think we have this figured out, we run into one dead end after another. There must be something wrong with this map, but what? I am convinced that it is genuine and not a fake so what are we not seeing?"

"I keep running that through my head as well Moon Daughter," says Horse Rider, "it doesn't make sense. Barb, didn't you say that Man Tears is reporting that our foes are still happy with their progress based on the recreation of this very same map done from memory? It is good that they haven't fully succeeded yet, but how can they be happy with their progress when we are anything but happy with our own?"

"That is what Man Tears said when I was last in contact with her this morning." says Barb, "we are running out of time. What do we do now Moon Daughter?"

"Well, if we don't make some sort of break through by the end of the day, I think we may need to go back and pay our friend Black Jack another visit." says Moon Daughter.

"We should have never let Golden Child leave us at a time like this," says Silver One, "you are right Moon Daughter, it may not be bad luck like I fear to have done so, but it has certainly left us short handed at a time when we can ill afford it. You should have stopped her."

"We cannot win by losing Silver One. Or let me just say that I don't want to win only to lose in the end."

"You really need to speak more clearly Moon Daughter. That is way too confusing," says Horse Rider.

"I know, Horse Rider, but it is a complex situation and not easy to put into words. Look, we believe certain things, we have certain traditions, we live a certain way. We have a goal right now. It is not going to be worth it to us to reach that goal if the only way to reach it means giving up on our deepest beliefs, giving up who we are at the very core."

"So, what? We are supposed to just lose then, so that we don't lose?" says Barb, "That doesn't seem to make much sense either."

"No, Barb, it means we have to find another way to reach our goal. Another way to win. A way through the maze such that we will win when we win and not lose when we win. OK?" says Moon Daughter.

"So, why couldn't you stop Golden Child from leaving now then?" says Horse Rider.

Moon Daughter sighs deeply and with great tiredness. The weight on her shoulders right now is almost past her strength.

"Horse Rider, our most ancient code tells us what to do in cases like the recent one involving Golden Child. I gave her the options that are spelled out in the code. She chose. The code says we must give everyone the freedom to chose their path in such cases. We gave it to her and she had to be free to follow her decision. I could not do otherwise."

"That is just stupid Moon Daughter! So our whole sisterhood has to perish just so Golden Child can have the freedom to leave us when we most need her! If I were in charge, I would have found a way to stop her!"

"Silence!" says Moon Daughter in a voice of command that will brook no argument. "You are not in charge! I am! And I will hear no more on that. If I had stopped her, we would have lost before the fight. At least now, we are in the fight and no matter how bad it looks at the moment, we still have a chance to win out. Let us find the way to win together. We will not find it if we insist on fighting each other."

(6:51 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Wow, time going down the drain again. And I feel worse today than any day so far. A relatively sleepless night last night and the eyes are more weary than ever.

What to do. I know I am not going to grind it out tonight. If no ideas flow, two thousand words are not in the plan tonight.

*** A Little Cay Off Of New Providence

Mandy, Jack, Sarai, and Mandy's team are assembled on a small cay somewhere off the coast of New Providence. One of Jack's friends had dropped them to the cay before the sun set.

Jack had asked Mandy if the team was in the country officially.

According to Mandy, they were here as tourists but the people who needed to know, knew enough of what was going down not to cause problems.

Jack was not so sure he should accept that, but he was here and didn't see an alternative other than not to go. That was not something he wanted at this point. He had touched base with some of his own contacts and hadn't been warned off but hadn't been given a green light either. Must be some of the plausible deny-ability action people were always going on about.

The helicopters cam in low and quiet over the trees on the cay and set down on the beach.

"Let's go people," said Mandy, "keep your heads down and take your gear with you. You two come with me."

The loading went quickly and the helicopters were airborne soon after that. Heading out over the water, flying low.

"Are we going to stay this low all the way to Abaco?" asks Jack.

"I have never been on one of these models before so I don't know what their exact plans are. My guess would be that they will go a bit higher once we are further away from land."

*** A Salvage Vessel Anchoured Off Of The North Shore Of Ambergris Cay, Abaco

(7:30 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

The boat is about a hundred and twenty feet long. She has a large open deck at the stern where she sports an A Frame and winches.

Reg is standing on the after deck looking at men working the winches. He is talking with a man in the shadows. We can't see the man but we know the voice. The is the man from the sub-sub-basement on Paradise Island. This is the boss.

"So Reg, do you think they will get it up tonight?"

"I can't say boss. It looks good from what I hear, but working under these conditions is difficult at best. I don't like being involved in an operation as make shift as this one we are running here when it is around the sea, but constraints are constraints and we are doing the best we can. I think we have a good chance of getting it."

"Good, good, the pieces of this puzzle are finally beginning to fall into place nicely. I can barely believe that we have made so much progress already working from a hand drawn map made from memory under duress. I think fate is smiling on us this time Reg. I must say, your help since you returned to us has been invaluable. I think we would have still been looking for this last site if you had not spotted that anomaly on the chart. You had me worried for a while there Reg when you had been under their influence for so long. I debated long and hard as to whether I should take you back on this project or wait until another one to let you prove yourself. I think I made the right decision."

"Thanks boss. If I run into that Jack again, I will make him pay for what he did to me."

"Careful Reg, don't let your emotions get in the way of your good judgment."

"Boss, if you had done to you, what I had done to me, you would not be so quick to tell me not to let my emotions rule."

"All I am saying Reg, is that you can get yourself in a world of trouble by not thinking clearly."

"Boss, I think it is coming up now. I need to go check on things back there."

"OK, Reg, I will be in my cabin, call me as soon as it is safely on deck and properly secured."

"Will do boss," says Reg turning and heading towards the stern, the boss heads off towards the bow along the starboard side.

(8:23 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

*** In The Very Spacious Salon Of A Mega Yacht Some Where In The Waters Of The Bahamas

"Moon Daughter, we are getting word that something may be coming up from the bottom now. Should we make preparations to move on them?" says Horse Rider.

"Not yet. Let's see what develops over the next hour or so. Make some minor preparations but we should have some time after we know what happens over there."

(8:52 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

*** A Salvage Vessel Anchoured Off Of The North Shore Of Ambergris Cay, Abaco

The winch is straining under the load. Reg is in the port corner of the stern and looking down into the water. Spot lights are pointed down into the clear water. He can see the his divers tending the huge slab that they are lifting.

Suddenly, from out of the darkness a shark streaks into the light and grabs the leg of one of his divers. Blood is everywhere instantly and pandemonium breaks loose. The crane operator gets distracted for a second and things go south. And the cable parts and the slab heads back for the bottom from whence it came.

Reg grabs a bang stick and dives in. He motions his dives to get the injured man topside and looks about for the shark. Everything is blurred and the salt in the water stings his eyes. He spins in the water trying to keep a watch of three hundred and sixty degrees in three dimensions. He almost does not make it but sees a blur coming in out of the corner of his eye at the last minute.

He manages to swing the stick around and gets in a luck strike. Not a killing strike, but he does hit the animal's pectoral fin and it heads for greener pastures in a hurry. His head breaks the surface and he swims to the platform to get out.

"Where is that medic? Someone go get him here now! This man is losing a lot of blood!"

(9:32 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

"Reg, are you alright? Are you crazy? Thanks! I was more than scared down there when that shark attacked I don't mind telling you! I had visions of being next on the menu."

"I don't know what got into me Amanda, I just reacted. If I had stopped to think I don't know if I would have gone in."

"Exactly Reg," says a voice from the shadows, "I warned you that letting your emotions rule you head could lead you into trouble."

"Well Boss, I for one am glad for his emotions right now!" says Amanda.

(9:43 pm Wednesday Nov 28, 2007)

*** Shack Near Beach

Ronnie is at the computer again.

He is just noodling around here and there, wasting time. Chatting with friends scattered around the world. Reading some more foolishness by that guy who wrote 'Tings - Anuddah Bahamian Novel' and listening to Free copyleft music that he is finding here and there.

He comes across a site where some guy is putting down bits of lyrics and asking others to work on finishing them with him.

I'm going to a place

Where the past is free to roam

Where no one knows my face

And I can find a home

I want wide open spaces

Cause I'm weary to the bone

So I'm seeking out a place

Where the past is free to roam

--

My feet are in the sky and

My head is on the ground

My heart is in the gutter

On the other side of town

Girl I love you better

Every time around

--

I want to have a taste

Of someone else's honey

Want to grab me a pile

Of someone else's money

I want to live my life

Like the Sunday funnies

So I bought me a guide

Written just for dummies

--

The consequences have unraveled

The girl's defences have all flown

Her best pretenses lie in ashes

Now life is senseless, she's alone

Tonight the boys are in the jungle

They're hunting fresh meat every one

Until the moon hides in the ocean

They head on home, here comes the sun

--

I'm not your dream

I'm not your joy

I'm not your favourite

Plastic Boy

But if you touch me

Under the stars

I'll be your man

And you can drive my car

--

I'm not happy bout the sound of your clothes

The high end's fine but the low end blows

And as for the midrange, no one knows

Girl we gotta do something bout the sound of them clothes.

--

I'm just a few hurts short of being in tune

But baby it seems you'll fix that soon

My life was alright till you turned up the gloom

Now I'm a few hurts short of being in tune

--

Through your eyes

I see the lies

And rise above

Their dark disguise

When morning and

The evening flies away.

Girl in my heart

I've made a start

Come join me now and

Be a part of day.

--

He thinks he may try to get in on that game. Some of them look like they might go somewhere.

(8:59 pm Thursday Nov 29, 2007)

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 27

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 27

(4:25 pm Tuesday Nov 27, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Wow, gentle reader, I have just spent over an hour doing novel cleanup, posting to the blog, and what not. I just caught some mistakes that I need to go back and fix and I have yet to type in the words that I wrote while at band practice yesterday.

Ouch. I need help and inspiration gentle reader.

Oh, and I need to feed the dogs now and walk them in about a half hour. Fun can Done!

(5:48 pm Tuesday Nov 27, 2007)

Well, dogs walked and hand written parts typed in. Just about two thousand five hundred words to go to sixty thousand words which was my goal for this year's word count.

I am seriously thinking that if I can break that goal tonight or perhaps even tomorrow, that I will let myself off of the two thousand word a day goal that would get me to the sixty thousand. Perhaps just go back and try to put some order to this whole thing or spend some time trying to find an ending.

We shall see.

I don't see getting to sixty thousand tonight though, not the way I feel now. Not unless some serious inspiration comes and strikes me from out of the blue yonder.

I have been listening to that "Closer Than The Dance" vocal and guitar mix and am liking it more the more I listen to it.

Oh, and just to let you know ahead of time... I think there is another band practice tomorrow night.

(6:09 pm Tuesday Nov 27, 2007)

(7:43 pm Tuesday Nov 27, 2007)

It is not gonna happen tonight gentle reader, very little sleep last night and the old eyes are hurting really bad right now. I am thinking seriously of letting some of my characters go to a concert and another read from a book... That's about how desperate I feel right now. Shall I? Why not, let's see how much I can sneak in like that.

*** A North Shore Beach On Rose Island

There was a delay in the gear and the team that Mandy had sent for getting in and so they had decided to get in a little more R and R and they are up on a North shore beach on Rose Island for a sea side concert being put on by some local bands. Not the run of the mill local bands though. Not at all. Mandy, Jack, and Sarai had caught a ride up to the island with one of Jack's friends. Ronnie had said that he would stay home. He didn't want to be around so much partying at this point was the reason he gave. Jack wondered if it wasn't something else.

Barry and the Cudas are up first doing 'Rob Me Blind'

Girl you know I need a woman

To come and steal my heart

So I leave it on the front porch

Each Night when it gets dark

Then I lay upon my pillow

And pray if God be kind

He'd let you drive down my street

Let you stop and rob me blind

When I wake up every morning

I look outside to find

It cold and lonely on the ground

Then I almost lose my mind

The crowd was really into that song and broke out in a great round of applause when it ended. After letting the applause die down a little, they went into their version of 'Going Nowhere'

Baby, we're going nowhere,

And darling, we're moving fast.

Honey, we though forever,

So tell me, why can't love last?

They say, we're young and simple.

Some say, life's in the past.

They say, don't dream forever.

I say, let's make love last.

Baby, let's head out somewhere.

Darling, we don't need fast.

Together, we'll dream forever.

Sweetheart, let's make love last.

We're gonna put love first,

We're gonna make love last.

If we will put love first

Then we can make love last

The crowd was singing along with that one almost from the break and dancing on the sand.

That ended and they went smoothly into 'Checkin You Baby'

I been checkin you baby

Vision's drivin me crazy

I used to be lazy

Now I'm workin real hard

Cause you to look my way

A long drive on the highway

We could park in the byway

Oh I'm workin real hard

Two hearts they could fly way

Way up in the sky away

My love's for real 'll not f-f-f-f-fade away

Oh I'm workin real hard

Jack was dancing with both Mandy and Sarai and loving every minute of it. He had really liked Sarai for years and they had had some good times together. Thinking about it, he realized that she really was one of his best friends.

Come Monday or Tuesday

Everyone with a clue say

He don't know what to do hey?

Mmmm, I'm workin real hard

Now Mandy, she was something special. he thought he might be falling for her. If only she didn't have to stay so hard all of the time. Work. He wasn't minding the envious glances he saw from some of the guys in the crowd when they saw him dancing with two beautiful women like these.

I been peepin you baby

Beauty's drivin me crazy

"You girls want to go for a walk along the beach when this song ends?" Jack asks and they both nod their heads.

Got no time to be lazy

Yeah I'm workin real hard

The song ended and they started to make their way out of the middle of the dancing crown when the Cudas slowed things down and began playing 'The Only One'

"Hey wait up, Jack," said Mandy, "let's dance this one before we go." She turned him to face her and pulled him in close and put her arms around his back.

Sarai was left in the lurch but only for a second, a blond, blue eyed and tanned man appeared out of the crowd in his bare feet and cut off jeans and bowed to her, smiling and with a twinkle in his eyes, "Would you do me the honour of dancing this dance with me, my lady?"

Before she could register all that had just happened, he had started dancing with her. Mandy smiled, and whispered in Jack's ear, "That worked out well. Do you know that guy?"

"I think he is with one of the bands that will be on later."

Everybody knows my name

But to me they're all the same

Darling you're the only one

That I want when the day's run

    Its course

Everybody wants their fame

I only want what I can't tame

Darling you're the only one

That I want when the day's done

    Of course

The force of your love

Is pushing me higher

The heat of your skin

Fuels every desire within

Our hearts and our souls and our brains

Like two runaway trains

Are rushing us on

We dare not remain

But fly on till dawn

Has come once again

Everybody wants someplace

I seek my own with calm and grace

Darling you're the only one

That I want the only one

    I love

(9:25 pm Tuesday Nov 27, 2007)

"Tell me about the desires within Jack," whispers Mandy, running her nail down the back of his neck.

He kisses her gently and looks into hear eyes, "Someday soon I may find the words to tell you, until then, you will have to accept a demonstration if you really want to know."

She returns the kiss, "We'll have to see what we see then. Are you ready to take that walk? Do you think Sarai will be safe with that guy if we left here and went for the walk just the two of us?"

"I don't know if we should do that Mandy, we came together. Is it right for us to just leave her alone? I don't think so."

"She looks like she enjoyed the dance and is doing fine now. How about I go and ask her if it is OK?"

"Nah, I'm going to go and get her and we can all go together," says Jack walking towards Sarai through the crowd.

The Cudas start another song and people start dancing again, Sarai and her new dance partner included.

I saw Susie, standing there with you

In the morning, drinking Mountain Dew

She was so fine, she cut my heart in two

Now I'm crying, I'm crying and I'm blue

"Hey Sarai, sorry to but in, but we are ready to go walk the beach, do you want to go or to stay and dance?"

"Tell him you are going to stay and dance beautiful. He doesn't need to go walking in the moonlight with two gorgeous women and leave me here alone."

Sarai looks at Jack, "Would you mind if I stayed and danced? I haven't danced like this in years."

"No, it's fine, we won't be too long."

"Take your time buddy, I will take good care of Miss Sarai."

Jack turns back towards Mandy.

She don't love me anymore

She don't need me that's for sure

She walked out that open door

Left me crying on the floor

She don't love me anymore

As he gets close to Mandy she smiles, "She wanted to stay and dance, right?"

"Yes. You ready?"

"I thought she would, he looks like her kind of guy."

"How do you know what her kind of guy is?"

"You never heard of womens intuition? Let's go"

I saw Barbie, at the beach with you

In  the bright sun, water shining blue

She left too soon, why I never knew

Now I'm wondering, what's a man to do?

They finally get to the edge of the dancing crowd and head down to the water's edge and head off with the music playing behind them.

She don't love me anymore

She don't need me that's for sure

She walked out that open door

Left me crying on the floor

She don't love me anymore

They walk side by side for a while saying nothing.

I've go Lucy, laughing here with me

She's a beauty, all the world can see

When we get home, sitting on my knee

We'll be snuggling, smooching happily

Mandy moves in close and links her arm in his and holds his hand.

She couldn't love me any more

And she needs me that's for sure

We have closed and locked the door

And we're laughing on the floor

She couldn't love me any more

"You like that song Jack?"

"What are you asking Mandy?"

"Come on Jack, do you like the song? Or don't you? Don't try to read too much into my questions until you know me better."

He laughs, "Sure, I like it well enough I guess, you?"

"Oh, I like it."

The moon is large and bright in the eastern sky. Romantic.

Another band has come on and their first song is 'Why Fight The Feelin'

when you're home and lonely

on a friday night

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

when the days grow longer

and the night's too bright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

when your best emotion's

either fight or flight

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

when your heart comes crashin

to the ground at night

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin

ya gonna be alright

"Why fight the feelin, Jack, why fight the feelin?"

(10:08 pm Tuesday Nov 27, 2007)

*** Shack Near Beach

Ronnie is at the computer again.

Tonight, besides doing a short stint of the brain dumps again, he was reading some Bahamian's NaNo WriMo Novel from two thousand and five. Something called 'Tings - Anuddah Bahamian Novel' and he was enjoying skimming back and forth through it and reading bits that caught his fancy.

Right now he was reading something from day two written around seven forty pm it seems.

"Alley.

Alleys can be narrow or they can be wide. They can be dark and dank, or they can be bright and sunny. They can be twisty and confusing or they can be straight. They can dead end or lead to somewhere. They can have crossroads (crossalleys?) or not.

Let me tell you about the alley that Cang and XXIII ended up in. This was an alley that we shall not name. An alley that we shall not give the location of either. We can say, however, that is was a narrow, twisty alley that seemed to dead end but at the very end it instead narrowed to be impassable by the moke and then turned a blind corner before opening up onto a park. On the other side of the park it, or another alley similar to it, continued on. This alley was not clean either. There was rotting garbage everywhere. Flies swarmed and rats played freely, seemingly without fear of humans. And just let me say that these were no play play rats, no these beauties were johnny rats. And one of those johnny rats was Johnny. In fact, Johnny was not just any johnny rat. You might say he was THE JOHNNY RAT.

Johnny watched with a keen interest as Cang and XXIII passed. He saw the haunted look of fear in Cang's eyes. People with that look could often be dealt with in a certain way that could lead to a nice little something something. And Johnny knew how to deal in that certain way with the best of them.

(8:00 pm Nov 02, 2005)

Johnny fell in behind Cang and XXIII as they abandoned the moke and crossed the park to the alley on the other side.

A little more about the alley if I may...

The alley, on both sides of the park actually, was lined by dilapidated clap board houses. Many with their porches rotting through and many with holes in their roofs where they were missing wooden shingles. Often, there were several houses in the same yard. Sometimes, the alley would wind around in such a way that for someone who knew the area, there was a shortcut through a yard. Johnny knew the area well. He had things planned out. As Cang and XXIII turned a corner, he cut across a yard and got ahead of them. He climbed up a guinep tree and crawled out on a branch that overhung the alley.

He waited quietly for them to pass beneath them and then pounced on Cang's back!

Now Johnny had calculated his actions and plans to a T and things were going even better than he had planned. But there was a problem. He had mistakenly focused his attention on Cang and had not reckoned with the probable reactions of XXIII. It was to be one of the most costly miscalculations of his life.

You see, XXIII had grown quite fond of Cang during their short time together and when he saw Johnny pounce, he promptly went into action. XXIII definitely had Miami Vice's genes in him. (He may have even had genetic memories of Cang passed down in these genes.) Johnny didn't know what hit him. XXIII was all over him like white on rice. Johnny soon let out a squeal that was heard for miles. The pain was unlike anything he had ever experienced before and he had felt a lot of pain during his rough and tumble life.

XXIII clamped on him and pinched him in places and ways that he never could have imagined before actually experiencing them for himself. In fact, the pain was often so intense that he could not actually understand what was happening to him. XXIII left him broken. Under a bucket with a hole in it. Dear Liza or dear Henry may have been able to fix the hole in the bucket, but they, nor anyone else, would be able to fix Johnny again. Johnny was broke worse than Humpty Dumpty.

(8:21 pm Nov 02, 2005)"

That was some funky stuff. Where did that guy come up with such funky stuff? If only Johnny Rat could be dealt with that easily. That really was asking for a bit too much suspension of disbelief there though.

(10:31 pm Tuesday Nov 27, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Well, gentle reader, that about does it for today. My eyes really can't take any more tonight. Thanks for sticking it out with me and keeping me company though.

And... Out like a light!

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 26

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 26

(3:40 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Well, gentle reader, trying to get started here. There may be band practice tonight so this may prove a tough day. Time will tell.

(3:50 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

Little things that burn your time. Sure, just a bit of housekeeping in connection with yesterday's words, but there goes a bunch of time.

Precious time.

Irredeemable time.

Unless I can manage to come up with a time factory... Perhaps in time for next year.

Oops... I am in trouble now gentle reader... Deep trouble...

I have just caught myself going back into prior day's writings and making little corrections. A real gigantic no-no during NaNo time. That person they call the inner editor must be kept away at all costs.

Now he can some in and vacuum up all your time much worse than any temporal black hole. Watch out for that fellow. Oh, he comes around acting all nice.

"Here, let me help out with that."

"That little correction will not take long and you should do it now where you have it in your mind. You may miss it when you get around to 'official' editing time"

"Can you believe you made that silly typo?"

"Oops, just a little transposition there, let me get that for you."

Helpful points all, I am sure, but don't let him start. And if you find he has started somehow despite your best intentions, run him off right away. Right straight away. Use whatever means necessary.

Mock him if you must.

Tell on him. Yeah, that's right, rat him out to the Fearless Reader.

Tell him there is a leaky pipe in the back yard and ask him to go take a look for you and report back... Then lock the door on him when he goes out to see.

(4:05 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

Put your head down and write and write and write while saying 'la la la la la la la...' in your head so you cannot hear his siren call.

(4:34 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

Whoosh! A bunch of time just went down the drain there. Do you see how it is the same fight each day gentle reader? The same fight, the same struggle. The same issues.

Where to now?








*** Shack Near Beach

Jack, Mandy, Sarai, and Ronnie are sitting on the front porch watching the waves roll in.

"OK, so you ladies can have the shack, Ronnie and I will string some hammocks and a tarp out back. Not the greatest shelter, but better than a bivouac in any case."

"No, Jack, we can get a room at some hotel and you can have your own room and you own bed."

"You see how bad it gets Ronnie? I can't even talk a woman into sleeping in my bed even when I am not going to be in it. Do I have fleas or something these days?"

There is tired, groaning laughter all around.

"Look, Mandy, I know you can get rooms, but it would be more convenient if we could cut out the travel time and spend the time we save talking and doing what planning we can. It's alright, really. Sometimes in the summer, we sleep out in the hammocks and leave the rooms empty.

(4:46 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

"Well, we can discuss that later then, right now, let's get down to business. And Ronnie, thanks again for sending out the smack boats to look for us."

"I am just happy that you all didn't drown and that they spotted your fire."

(5:24 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)










*** A Lonely Room

Well, there is band practice tonight at six thirty and I need to figure out and eat some dinner before going over there as well. Can I pull off a mini sprint about some of these story lines before then?

We shall see.






*** Shack Near Beach

"OK, so where are we now?" says Jack.

"Well, my people are sending down a team and some new equipment and we are going to take another run at those jokers. If they think they can go around sinking ships, they have another things coming."

"Ah, Mandy..."

"Yes Ronnie?"

"I am not so sure that Sarai's yacht was blown up by the people you think did the deed."

"What?"

"The reports that came in said they the other vessel went down in the same way."

"What!"

"Seems so, so unless you think they scuttled their own vessel as well as yours, there may be more to this whole mess that you think."

"Wait, their vessel went down? The one we were on?"

"If you were on it, yes, that one. The one near the Yacht when the yacht went down."

"How can that be? Who? Wait, what about survivors from that one? Was anyone picked up?"

"No reports of anyone being picked up from her. Dead or alive."

"What's up with that?" asks Mandy.

"No one seems to have any real ideas," says Ronnie.

"Well, I think I want to dive on that wreck and see if we missed something in our brief visit."

"I'm all for that." Jack butts in.

"You know, I am thinking that perhaps it was a mistake to involve you two in that part of the operation. Sarai, wait, before you object, you know you and Jack are civilians. it is not right for me to ask you to risk your lives in such an operation when I have a team coming in to work with me now."

"You are not going to get rid of us that easy," says Jack, "we are deep in this now and I, for one, want to see it through."

"I don't think I can let you."

"I don't think you can stop us!" spouts Jack, "I would like to see you try."

(5:41 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

"Sarai, can you speak some sense to this man? You know things are getting too dangerous. What if we are not so fortunate next time."

"I am not so sure Mandy, the two of us are in deep now. And we may be civilians, but we go back a long way and I can tell you that we have been in some tight spots before and Jack has always handled himself well. And I am not all that shabby myself if I may say so."

"Great! Two hard heads on my hands. What am I going to do with you two? I suppose you two might try to go out wild on your own if I didn't take you along."

"You got that right!" says Jack.

"I could always pull some strings and get you two locked up temporarily for your own good."

"Don't even try that!" says Jack standing up in a huff.

(5:49 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

(7:38 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)







*** Band Practice Room

Well, the first song just started. Let's hope this goes well tonight.






*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco

Well, Fred just barely made it to shore with the bull shark snapping at his heels. But make it he did.

Golden Child didn't know who was more afraid there. Fred for himself and his feet, or her for her man.

"What in the world were you doing out there Fred?'

"I saw this box floating way out there and I swam out to see what it was."

"Why in the world would you go swimming out there with this shark hanging about?"

"He hasn't been around in a while and I kind of forgot about him. Then too, this thing looked interesting floating out there. And I probably wasn't thinking right because I was still pretty upset with you."

"Well, don't do that again my love! I don't think I could handle losing you at this stage of the game."

(7:53 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

They lay down on the beach to catch their breaths and soon burst out laughing.

"I think I am going to kill that beast soon. Do we have something back on the boat to catch him with?"

"I think we should have something. Why do you want to kill him?"

"He is getting on my nerves. Plus, this isn't natural. I have never seen an animal act the way he is acting. It is almost like he has something personal against us."

"Maybe he has been watching too much 'Jaws' lately," laughs Fred. "I normally don't like killing animals for no real reason, but I think he has given us enough reason, so, if you want to, I am with you in it."

"So, what's in the box? Let's open it up lover. No sense in you risking your life and your beautiful limbs and us not even bothering to see that it is that you got."

Well, they got up and tried to open the box but the effort proved to be a non starter. So they decided to take it back to the ketch and open it there.

The bull followed them back around the point and was waiting at the beach near the dinghy when they got there. Patrolling back and forth along the beach.

"You know Goldy, you are right, we need to be done with this brute. He has to die before he puts a hurting one one of us or on someone else. I wonder what has gotten into him?"

(8:29 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

*** Band Practice Room

Well, gentle reader, this is really slow going right now. I am almost tempted to give up on the writing for the duration and try to knock it out when I get home later.

That way, I could just kick back and relax and enjoy the music for the rest of the practice.

Sounds good. But do I want to be up till midnight when I get home. And I am getting sick as it is and probably shouldn't even be here tonight.







*** A Lonely Room

(9:34 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

Seems I gave in to that temptation.

Well, gentle reader, back from band practice but still having a hard slog of it. Having to do some phone tech support for work right now too.

Once again...

Life Interrupts Art.








*** Shack Near Beach

The planning is over and the night has settled down to one of fun and relaxation. Sam and his wife dropped some steamed steak and white rice off earlier along with some Johnny cake. That went down well.

After dinner, they sat around telling jokes and stories and relating their recent adventures again for Ronnie's benefit. Then Jack went in and put on some music and they began to wind down in earnest.

He put on some classical and followed that up with some easy old island songs. They kept up the conversation over the music until 'Why Fight The Feelin' came on.

(9:47 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

(10:17 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

when you're home and lonely
on a friday night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

when the days grow longer
and the night's too bright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

when your best emotion's
either fight or flight
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

when your heart comes crashin
to the ground at night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

They all had a great time singing along with that one and after it was done, 'Mary, Quite Contrary' came on.

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

When it came on, Ronnie jumped and went inside and they could hear him rummaging around looking for something. He must have found it since he let out a yell in celebration and then the song went off and he came running back out on the porch with some sheets of paper in his hands.

"Here, everyone, take a copy, I wrote some new words for that tune. Sing it with me."

"You gotta put the music back on for us to sing it."

"That wont work, those words will get mixed up with these. Come on... Let's just try singing it alright?"

"We need the music, Ronnie," explains Jack a little exasperated.

"Does anyone have a guitar?" asks Mandy, "I think I could play along. Would that work?"

"Jack, do you still have that old beat up thing in the closet?" asks Ronnie.

"Yeah, but its out in the shed now, you should be able to find it."

So Ronnie is up and dashing around the side of the shack in a flash.

They hear him rummaging around out there for a while and then another yell of celebration and they hear him returning.

"I have to warn you Mandy, the thing is pretty beat up," says Jack before Ronnie returns.

He comes around the corner and up on to the porch almost at a run, "Here you go, do you think it might be in tune?"

"Do pigs fly? Not to worry though, I think I can tune it if it can be tuned in this condition."

Before long, she has it tuned and she starts trying to play the music to the song.

"How's that?" she asks.

"That sound OK," says Ronnie and he starts to sing along almost under his breath.

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

After that they all join in.

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

Hey now Peter, pumpkin eater,
Had a wife but, he couldn't keep her
Well he put her, in a pumpkin shell
Then he kept her,
So very well

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

By now, they are having a great time and laughing and singing along and cutting up some.

Mother Hubbard, went to her cupboard
Get her poor dog, a little bone...
But when she got there, that cupboard was bare...
Well that poor dog he... aint got no bone...

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

Well Miss Muffet, sat on her tuffet
She was eating... her curds and whey...
Come this spider, sat down beside her
Well he frightened... Muffet away...

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

Well William Winkie... runs through the town
Up stairs and down stairs, in his night gown...
Peeking in windows... tapping on doors
That boy goin be up, quarter to four...

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

Mary had a... little lamb
Had a fleece was... white as snow... o
Every where that, young Mary went...
Well that lamb he... surely follow...

There goes Mary, quite contrary
asked her how did... her garden grow
she said silver bells
she said cockle shells
said somethin bout pretty maids
in a row... o

It ends and they all bust out laughing.

"That wasn't half bad Ronnie. I think you are going to need to keep working on the words in some places, but it is fun. When did you do that?"

"About a week ago now I think," says Ronnie, "I liked you playing Mandy. Thanks for jumping in like that."

"Thanks, I used to dream of being a rock star when I was younger, but my parents sort of side tracked me. Anyway, that is another story for another time. I am getting tired. Can we turn in now?"

And they do.

(10:39 pm Monday Nov 26, 2007)

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 25

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 25

(3:14 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Hey there gentle reader... well, you are looking at an official NaNoWriMo 2007 winner. Four straight now gentle reader. I feel great, and feel drained.

I want to sleep.

But for your gentle sake, I will try and find another two thousand or more words some where today.

I was reading back in last year's "Sayings - Deterred Bahamian Novel" earlier today and I saw where I was searching for a word factory last year. I thought that perhaps a word wholesaler would have served.

I could use a word factory today, that's for sure.

Or a time factory. Buy a few more hours to tack on at the end of... No! in the middle of the day. Stick them at the end of the day and I may be too tired to use them. It's the little details like that in life that can really mess you up.

You finally get what you ask for but it doesn't do you any real good. Watch out for situations like that gentle reader. They can get you even when you are in your guise as Fearless Reader!

(3:20 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

You know, two thousand words should be a breeze to write. I just did over two hundred right there in about six minutes. If I could keep up that pace, I could do the two thousand in an hour, say an hour and a half to be generous.

Why, then, these four and five hour days. And those are just estimates. It is taking so long, that I don't have the time to go back and figure up more accurate times for each day.

At least you have managed to stick it out with me gentle reader and I really appreciate that. Lots.

It would be even more lonely here in this lonely room if I could not share the experience with you as I write each day.

You know, I don't actually recall ever reading a novel before where the author takes the time to share the actual experience of writing the story with the reader. If you know of any gentle reader, let me know. I would be interested in looking them over.

Well, except for my own poor attempts... And some of those I have written but not read all the way through in one sitting...

(3:25 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

Gotta take a little break here and do some minor housekeeping with respect to yesterday's work. Not editing mind you. What I do is break each scene out of the one big leo node it is in and put each scene in its own node. It makes it easier to go back and look at what went on and continue that thread.

Be back in a bit. Or BBIAB as we say in IRC.

(3:42 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

Back. Well, I ended up having to do one or two other things. Once again, life interrupts art!


*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco

"Look, just don't press me Fred!" shouts Golden Child, "I don't know what to do! There is no way for me to do the right thing now and it is driving me CRAZY! At least I cannot see any way to do the right thing."

Golden Child was in trouble. Between that old rock and hard place.

"If you would just tell me what was going on, I may be able to help you figure out the right thing to do."

"Fred, I am going crazy! Please stop asking me to tell you. I have to and I can't and that is a big part of the problem right now! Please don't ask me again. Let me try to think it out again."

Fred stand up abruptly, angry and confused, "I'm getting out of here! Take your time, I'm going to swim in to the beach and take a walk. I will be back later, or you can come and find me if you sort things out. Later."

He is up the ladder and taking a header into the water before she can even tell him to watch out for that shark. They haven't seen it again since it left that night, but the whole episode had left her a bit spooked.

She heard him stroking strongly for shore and resumed her fretting, confused, thinking.

Why did we have to find this treasure? Something that should be such a joy. Really, why couldn't we have found the treasure and not the map?

She wanted to share everything with Fred, all that she was, all that she had, but she couldn't share this. But she wasn't prepared to let this come between them.

She needed to let her sisters know about and see this new map. It could be the very key to all their efforts for so long. But the very rules of the sisterhood prevented it. Once a sister went outside to live with a man instead of bringing the man in, she was forever forbidden to contact her sisters in any way from that day forward. And they were very strict with those rules.

She had to tell them, and she couldn't tell them.

And she couldn't tell Fred why. More sisterhood rules. A sister could leave and go outside, but she was forbidden to mention or give any details of the sisterhood or her former life. They were very strict with those rules too.

A rock and a hard place.

If she wanted to do the right thing.

(3:58 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

The easy thing would be to just keep the treasure, and to use her memory of the first map along with this new map and for her and Fred to go off and find the new treasure together and live happily ever after. Sure, happily ever after, knowing that it would doom the efforts of her beloved sisters and maybe even bring down the sisterhood for all time. And maybe get her and Fred killed if they ran into their enemies along the way. enemies Fred knew nothing about.

What to do? She was going crazy. She had to come up with some answer soon. Or at least some plan of action. She needed action. Deep in her soul. the thinking was getting her nowhere fast. Perhaps action was the answer! She would go and get Fred and they would take action! Together! And come what may they would stay together. She would not let this tear them apart.

She went up the ladder to the cockpit and slipped out of her cutoff jeans and her t-shirt and was about to dive in headlong and swim for the beach when a blur streaking in the corner of her eye sent a stab of fear into her heart.

She looked but didn't see anything. There was a lot of turtle grass over that way though. That bull could be camouflaged over there just waiting for her to enter his realm.

"Fred!" she yelled at the top of her lungs, "Fred, can you hear me? We need to talk! Can you come back?"

Nothing. Could he have gone that far already? Which way would he have gone? Probably down around the point and into the cove. That was his favourite spot on the island. And she could understand the reason why. It was lovely in that cove.


(4:16 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

"Fred!" should she take the inflatable dingy in? That shark bothered her. He could puncture it if he got aggressive. Or tip her over into the drink. Not something she wanted to contemplate. "Fred! Come back!"


*** Beach On The Far End Of Nun Jack, Abaco

Fred could hear her calling in the distance but her was still a bit too upset to answer. let her come find him if she needed him that bad right now. He still needed to walk off some of his frustration.

(4:29 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

Something in the tone of her voice made him almost turn back but he steeled his resolve and continued on down the beach.

What was that ship still doing out there? Could they be treasure hunters? Nah... Something closer in caught his eye. What was that floating over there? It looked interesting. He decided to swim out and bring it in to see what it was.

(4:44 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)


*** A Lonely Room

Well gentle reader, I was going really good there for a decent while, but I feel myself slowing down for some unknown reason. I really need to try and ramp up the speed again.

Where to now gentle reader, where to?


*** A Smack Boat Out Of Spanish Wells, Headed For Nassau

Our three friends are aboard. Rescued! The crew of the smack had been looking for them since the word came to the boats from home. They had spotted the fire last night and picked them up from the beach. They were too weak to really celebrate but they were felling better today.

They are all feeling a little more like humans today though.

They are standing on the bow, leaning on the railing and talking quietly together.

(5:02 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

(5:59 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

"So, what are we gonna do now?"

"Well Jack, when we get back, we're gonna hit the sack, Jack. How's that, Jack?"

"That's whacked mac!"

"Enough of the rhyming you two," says Sarai with a commanding voice "I've lost my yacht, we have almost died, can you stop with the clowning around and let's talk some serious talk here please!"

"OK, OK, Sarai," says Mandy, "well, I am going to get in touch with my people in Washington and see if they can scrounge us up another boat and I think we should head back out and see what we can see. Those jokers are not gonna get away with this. But we really should probably rest up for a day or two before going back out. I am sure this has taken a lot more out of us that we feel right now."

(6:48 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)


*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco

After too long, Golden Child decides to risk the dinghy. The bull has not made his presence certain, but she senses he is still out there and thinks she sees hints of his presence out of the corner of her eye every once in a while.

She goes to the stern grabs the painter and pulls the inflatable in close. Carefully she descends the ladder and gingerly steps into the bottom and gets the dinghy settled down and quiet in the water before transferring her full weight off of the ladder and into the boat.

She reaches up and un-cleats the painter and drops it into the bow. Just as she is about to sit down and start up the engine, something hits the bottom hard, almost sending her into the water.

"Ahhhh! Don't you mess with me you nasty fish, I will see you drying in the sun before tomorrow is done if you don't clear off and leave us in peace!"

She manages to get properly seated in the stern and gets the little engine started.

She gases it and heads straight in to the beach.

Straight in to the beach. She doesn't slow down until the last minute when she deftly cuts the throttle, kills the engine and tips it up.

The dinghy runs up on the beach and she is up and out over the bow, grabbing the painter as she passes.

The bull almost runs up on the beach after but manages to turn himself around while making a commotion splashing and twisting in the shallows.

(7:09 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

She runs down to the water's edge and screams in rage and picks up sand and shells and throws them angrily in the direction of the shark. "I am not joking with you, you malevolent guppy! I will gut you and hang you out to dry if you don't cut it out.

She goes back to the dinghy and pulls it further out of the water and stakes and our in the sand and ties the painter to it. Then she heads off down the beach in the direction of the cove to the west.

She sees the bull following along about seven yards off shore.

"I am warning you! Are you hard of hearing or what?"

She picks up speed, breaking into a slow trot.

The shark keeps pace.

When she comes around the point, she sees Fred out in the water trying to being some floating to shore and the bull takes off like a bullet in his direction.

"FRED!" she yells, "Get out of the water! The bull is back! get out."

He looks in her direction and waves.

"Shark! get out!"

"What?"

She waves her arms in a motion that she hopes he understand means to get out of the water. "Get out of the water! SHARK!"

He must have heard something, "Shark?" he starts making his way to the shore.

"The BULL!" she yells as she sees his dorsal fin come out of the water much too close to Fred.

(7:27 pm Sunday Nov 25, 2007)

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 24

Danger - A Safe Bahamian Novel - Day 24

(4:21 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)

*** A Lonely Room

Ah well gentle reader, you might think the joy and elation of winning might carry over and lead to some serious over achievement for a day or so after. Alas, not so in my case this year it seems.

Life interrupts art.

Let's just see if we can avoid a total collapse shall we?

(4:38 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)

Well yeah, sure. It would be nice but how.


*** 38' Cheoy Lee Ketch - Up Around Nun Jack, Abaco

Well that mean bull had bothered them for the rest of the day and into the night. You would think he had a personal beef with either Fred, Golden Child, or maybe even the Cheoy Lee...

Several times during the rest of the day, he had wondered off and faded from sight in the turtle grass in the distance, only to come streaking back in when Fred had dared to get back in the water in an effort to dive up the chest sitting right there on the sandy bottom below the ketch.

Fred didn't bother trying to get back in the water after nightfall, but the bull still kept showing himself and bumping the bottom and messing about with the anchour rhode every once in a while.

So, come morning, when there was no sign of the bull for an hour or two after sunrise, Fred decided to try and dive up the chest once again.

Golden Child stood watch while he slipped quietly into the water, took a breath and flipped his legs and fins up into the air and propelled himself to the bottom taking a line to the bottom with him.

Working quickly, he tied the rope around the chest and secured it as best he could in a rush, and then headed back to the surface.

So, once back in the cockpit, he and Golden Child pull the chest up with the rope. It is dicey for a bit, almost coming out of his efforts at securing it, but he manages to grab it just before things go completely south.

They take it down into the cabin and put it on the table on a folded beach towel.

Describe the chest here... old... odd metal in good condition... maps engraved on the surface...

Excitement shows on both of their faces, their breathing is shallow and a bit ragged, Golden Child gets a large flat head screw driver from the tool box and tried using it as a crow bar to break the lock of the chest.

She works at it for a while without making any major progress and then Fred takes a try at it as well. He struggles mightily for a good while with little progress to show for his efforts except for a beginning blister in the webbing between his right thumb and index finger.

Golden Child went back to the tool box and got some lubricant spray and sprayed it in the lock and then sat down with various bits of metal from the tool box and the kitchen drawers and tried her hand at picking the lock.

Fred left her at it for a while trying to sit patiently but getting more and more impatient as time wore on. He finds he can't take it and goes searching about the boat looking for something else to attack the lock with.

He is up in the cockpit looking under the seats when he hears a victory yell come from Golden Child down below.

It doesn't take him long to get back below.

"You got it!"

"I got it baby. I got it."

"Well, let's see what we got then."

(6:26 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)

They lift the lid together as they stare expectantly towards the box. As the lid goes up their faces get closer and closer, peering into the box to discover its contents.

At first they both experience a bit of a let down. Sure, it is a treasure of sorts. Some gold coins that neither recognize at first, some golden jewelry with some gem stones down on the bottom, but not much compared to the size of the chest.

Fred starts to carefully take the contents out of the chest a piece at a time and rest them on another beach towel on the table. When the chest is almost empty, He removes a small purple felt bag with draw string top. "I wonder what is in here?" says Fred as he picks it up.

"Open it up then and let's see."

(6:39 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)

Golden Child draws in a sharp breath of surprise as Fred takes a small silver cylinder out of the purple felt bag. "What is it Goldy?"

Golden Child is struck dumb. What to do. She can't tell him what she knows, but she can't hold back on her new life partner. "Ah... Um... Ah..."

"What?"

"Open it up and let's see what's inside."

"Do you know what this is?"

"Just open it please Fred. Don't ask me any more questions until I have a chance to sort things out in my mind after I see what's inside."

"What do you mean what's inside? This opens up?"

"Can I have it please? Pass it over and I will show you."


"OK, knock yourself out," he says handing it over to her.


(7:36 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)

Golden Child fiddled with the cylinder for a while but didn't seem to be able to open it. Fred got a little antsy and went over an put on the radio.

when you're home and lonely
on a friday night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

when the days grow longer
and the night's too bright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

when your best emotion's
either fight or flight
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

when your heart comes crashin
to the ground at night
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright
baby why fight the feelin
ya gonna be alright

"Yeah! Got it!" exclaims Golden Child as the cylinder comes apart in the middle and she opens it and takes out a rolled up bit of vellum inside with some notes and drawings one one side and a map on the other side.

"Let me see."

"Hold on, let me look at it a bit first."

(7:57 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)

(8:56 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)


*** A Lonely Room

Where does the time go? Slithering down some temporal black hole like snake that opens its maws to swallow your life whole. Don't let it! Hold your shinai sideways if you have to.

Each moment is precious. Don't let it get away.

Yeah, right, Fearless Reader. That may be all well and good and true, but what a fight that is hey? What a fight...


If only I could get in the flow more this year. If only. If only... One of the chief opponents. If only. And you can tell Mary I said that if you dare.

I just can't get any speed going tonight at all. Think. Think. Think.


*** Marshy Areas On The Eastern Part Of Grand Bahama Island

When our three friends awoke, they were in dire straights. Dehydrated, hungry, not knowing where they were. But Jack was happy. Cheerful even. This made Mandy and Sarai a little more than peeved to say the least. Mandy felt like throwing him back in the ocean and letting him float away until he could float no more. Sarai wanted to dig him a shallow grave and invite him to take a rest.

Jack was oblivious until they spelled it out for him.

"Jack! Cut it out!"

"Cut what out Mandy?"

"Being so cheerful!" said Sarai, "What is wrong with you?"

"Wrong with me? Nothing is wrong with me. What is wrong with you?"

"Oh, I don't know, one or two little things I am sure."

"Right, little things, but look at the big things that are right with you. Buck up girls, we need to get moving."

"Moving, where to? We don't know where we are."

"Well, while you two were getting your beauty rest, I did a little exploring, off to the east there is nothing but a lot of water for people who have boats as large as the ones we are carrying. Off to the west, there is a creek with some more land. I say we head west."

"Jack, I say we stay put and try to find something to make a signal fire tonight when the sun goes down."

"I really think we should get going Jack," says Mandy again, "what do you think Sarai."

"As much as I hate to say it, and as much as I would just like to lie down again and sleep forever, I think Jack is right. BUT Jack, when the day starts to wind down, we need to keep Mandy's idea in mind. We need to start gathering something to burn and stop in time to gather more and try setting a fire tonight as a signal. Someone may be looking for us and see it?"

"OK, let's gather up our gear and head out then."

"Do we have to? What good are fins and masks going to do us on a land trek?"

"We are going to come to a creek soon, Who knows what else we will have to cross before we get some where we can feel safe again."

"OK, you win."

"Here, everyone have a sip of water before we move out."

"Jack! Where did you get water?"

"A man has to have his little secrets ladies. Have your sip and let's get a move on. Don't drink too much, we may need to make it last."

After they each have a small sip, they all feel a tiny bit better and shuffle off to the west along the beach, single file, down near the water's edge.

(9:31 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)


*** Shack Near Beach

so, no sigh of them yet?
nope, no sigh. they say they will keep looking though.
ok, well, let's hope they get lucky. it has been too long already
yes it has, but you say your friend Jack is good in the water?
yes, he's good, now if it was my other friend down here sam...
he can't swim?
oh, he could swim, just not too good like
and you haven't give him lessons yet
i tried, he doesn't want to learn that from me it seems
well, tech him anyway, island people needs to know
you tell him that, he is a lot bigger than me
tell im? i'll tell im. put im on?
he is not here now brad, but i will be sure to let you speak to him soon
you do that cuz.
later
later fa you cuz, later fa you

Ronnie goes back to his extended brain dump session. It is almost as if he is obsessed with capturing his every thought and inspiration for some reason he cannot yet pin down no matter how much he tries. So he keeps dumping.

---

I want a salt water woman
To sail with through this life
Find me a salt water woman
To be my salt water wife

---

I need some new... love
Red white and blue... love
How do you do... love
From a true American Girl

---

He feels a great tiredness in his very bones, but he doggedly keeps the dump going.

---

I will sing you a song in the night
I will sing dear and try sing it right
Let the words flow and wander where they might
I will sing you a song in the night

I will take you to see true delight
I will show you this note if I might
Let the tune free to wander where it might
I will take you to see true delight

---

(9:54 pm Saturday Nov 24, 2007)


*** A Lonely Room

And Out!