I toyed with the idea of writing something for a year. There were no ideas coming. No inspiration. It was finally a trip to Newport, Rhode Island which got the appropriate juices going again.
Twelve of us spent three days camping on the beach while competing in a lifeguard tournament. There must have been a recent lay-off of custodial help, because they had the most disgusting public bathroom and shower facilities I'd ever seen. The bugs and heat were brutal too, to make outside-living conditions worse. Even the tournament itself was a bit of a let-down. I ran in the Iron-Man medley and performed terribly. Tore my knee. By day two I couldn't wait to get the hell out of there. The majority of the trip was just not what I thought.
But there was one moment I was standing idly on the beach, just watching the goings-on of the tournament. I had this epiphany about a small lifeguard patrol beset by a tragic loss.
The rest is in the book.
I began with a single paragraph, and some nine-thousand words later I'm still working on Mantua Bay. One of the best decisions I ever made. But to produce material you will love as much as I do has been as much fun as it has been stressful and daunting. There are definitely questions left unanswered, plot holes needing to be filled, and I have to re-learn patience with myself.
Like anything else, I've been learning quickly that writing has its share of good and bad moments. Some days I'm at a complete loss, and others I'm overwhelmed by how many ideas I have.
Getting there.
