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.