Okay Merworld Fans!

I've finished the Cliff Huggins manuscript and boy does it feel great! I think it reads well too (but I'll wait for word from my editor). So, what does this means for you the Merworld fans? It means grab your snorkel and fins,we're going for a dive! Yahoo!

Mer History- Where's it At?

In writing my Merworld Fantasy, I wanted to incorporate observations found in historic sightings and encounters (other than stories related to the Benbecula mermaid burial). After surfing the net and looking through book stores, I've found relatively little.

Again, I call upon the six who have happened upon this blog. If you have historically documented Mer sightings or such, let me know. I will likely shift much more effort into the Merworld after next month. In the meantime, I'm stuck in Wayville and the Yucatan along with Cliff Huggins.

Thanks for listening. Swim back any time- Joe

Share Your Merworld Ideas

I have put a couple hours into writing this morning already. I am working on the second novel in my Cliff Huggins series (cliffhuggins.com). It is coming together nicely, and necessarily need to take priority over my Merworld fantasy. I hope to have this manuscirpt in good shape by the end of April and then take a dive into the Merworld again (as I plan to complete it for release in July).

In the meantime, if you are one of the five who have hit upon this blog and would like to give input on a Merworld fantasy...here's your chance. Any suggestions will be considered. It is meant to be written for an adult audience, so any/all adult topics are welcome (as long as they are in good taste).

Thanks for stopping by, Joe

Mer Sensations

I've been working on my first Merworld fantasy for over 1 1/2 years. My attempts to write first person as a merman have been challenging. How would it be to be Mer?

I have taken the approach of truly considering Mer as half fish half man. Questions surface in this perspective. what would a Mer man or maid have on their mind? How do Mer sense and how can this be translated to the written word?

I find the best approach is to swim and pretend to be Mer. Thoughts and considerations ripple in my direction. Swimming around, I discover my inner Mer.

My brother Chris is a fish biologists. I've asked him about fish sensations. He described what is called a lateral line along the sides of any fish. Fish use this line to sense movement in water. It is pretty cool!It all adds to the story.

Mer sensations may be viewed in ways I've not considered. I'm open to suggestions. Since I've noted zero blog hits so far, I may just rely on myself.

Surf's up, let's frug!

Beginning the Merworld

It began with an email from a cryptozoologist. Key words included: mermaid, burial, Benbecula, Scotland, and exhume. "With your background in archaeology, maybe you could help with the excavation?" it suggested.

Could I resist? No. Could I afford the trip? On the cheap I could.

But excaving such a find was not what I had in mind. I wanted a story. I wanted good fiction. I wanted a Merworld fantasy!

That was the beginning. I did go to Scotland, after a week in an isolated cabin on the wrong side of Genesee River Canyon at Letchworth State Park. Porcupines, deer, mosquitoes and relatives the only distractions (I'll admit after several days of isolation even family was welcomed).

So, the pencil hit the paper and the story began (I always write a story longhand before I start slapping the keyboard). It wasn't much at first, but then it grew. A visit to Dublin, then to Edinburgh, then to Stornoway--the town of towns on the Outer Hebrides.

I took the long haul down the spine of the Hebrides to Benbecula. I stayed one night. The owner of the B&B's father-in-law sat with me in the sun and spoke of the story passed down to him from his grandmother and her mother before her. It was a fine match of the historically documented mermaid burial said to be on Benbecula. I loved it!

Of course, the day was not only story telling. I'd gone down to the beach in Nunton. I felt the waters. I smelt the sea. I snapped photos of marooned jelly fish. I went to the old church graveyard and took down names.

Since then I've traveled and written more. The draft was chiseled in several locations: Letchworth (as mentioned), Stornoway (you might figure), Benebecula (of course), London (as I also drafted a Sherlock Holmes piece), Wellsboro, PA (my home...I think), Arusha, Tanzania (my location to teach and feel the true nature of stress), Zanzibar (nice!), and various relatives homes back in the Southern Tier of New York State. I've considered an island off Greece for the final whittle, and still may go that way.

I've more than the Merworld on my mind at the moment. These are other stories being shared in other circles.

For now, let us hope the currents continue to carry us.