C James

Don't worry, the only time I ever do "Dream sequences" I try to make it fairly clear that's what they are (like Trevor's nightmares). The only exception was Trevor's "First arrival" in Australia, where he was greeted by the singing kangaroos, and even there, I showed him realizing it was a dream when he woke up. Long story short, this chapter wasn't a dream, it happened.

Thanks!!

Thanks!!!! I hope you're having a better day today, too. Thanks! I think Trevor would have exploded, had something like this not occurred. Thanks! Those kind of scenes make me a bit nervous; I don't write them very often, and they are generally very hard to write, for me anyway. Well, that is a worry; due to Trevor's hair now being dyed brown, Shane fits Trevor's description better than Trevor does. Fowler and Blake know each other well; they've been friends since school, at least according to Martin Blake (the scene where he met Trevor). Thanks! I tried hard on this chapter, to get the mood and reactions right. I wonder if Trevor will be able to stop walking into solid objects now? I can comment on the tech side; if the theory (Kookaburra being a 55) is correct, the glass would be identical. The Lagoon 57 was pretty much identical to the 55, except for the bows and accompanying changes, such as reducing the size of the foresail slightly to avoid handling changes. The lagoon 57's had the same sloping forward windows as the 55s. After a run of about 16 57s, they changed again, calling it the 570, which is significantly different; it has the vertical forward windows. They did that to increase the salon size a bit, and also to reduce heating from the sun, but it has a downside; a 570 would never have survived taking heavy seas head on like Atlantis had to in the southern ocean. Like many design compromises, this one has good effects and bad ones. My personal opinion is that I prefer the 57 to the 570, because I don't like design compromises that reduce seaworthiness. *************** Thanks everyone! I've been hoping this chapter would come across okay.

When I read this, I had a suddenly icy feeling that SWS had appeared again. SWS is an acronym I created, and use a lot. It means "Stupid Writer's Syndrome", and is my shorthand for when I make a stupid mistake. The fact I felt the need to create an acronym for it might give a clue as to how often I make said mistakes. What Marty did is what I should have done; look at the picture. Until I did so, I had a feeling I'd screwed up, bigtime. Okay, what would be helpful here (and should have been in the chapter) is a stern-on picture of a Lagoon 57 (or a 55, as they are identical when seen from astern). Here's one, with a person in it for scale, Trevor, with a simple eggbeater kick (which we've seen him do before) could easily get high enough out of the water so that water level would be his stomach. That gives him a reach above the water of over four feet, easy. As we see in the pic, that would more than suffice to reach the bottom edge of the wing, so he could do it easily. This is indeed an awkward way to get aboard, but very possible, and the sort of thing athletic guys do a lot of, just for the challenge. (kind of like getting out of a backyard pool by grabbing onto a low diving board and hauling yourself up. Makes little sense when there are easier ways, but guys do it for the heck of it. One problem I ran into early on; this area is often different from boat to boat. Some have railings made of wood there, some have wire railings, some hang equipment bins there, some have a liferaft bin there, etc. here's a pic of a slightly different layout. Also, many (like Atlantis, Ares, and Kookaburra) carry a zodiac or other skiff, and usually do so hung from davits between the sterns, further complicating that area. So, Trevor could have kicked upward and lunged, easily grabbing a handhold on the lower edge of the wing (the transom) and then scrambling up, and hanging from the deck edge (a forearm on deck) he'd be at about eye level with the plaque area. And yep, if the Zodiac is in place (it likly is, as they haven't used it in the lagoon yet) he'd have the Zodiac behind him. He'd still fit fine, but it's something he'd be aware of, and I should have mentioned the zodiac. All this is awkward, and he could have seen it almost as well by looking over from the starboard aft stairs. I think it works as is, but I do regret not looking at a pic first and describing it a bit better, because as it is, it is confusing. I'll see what I can come up with, maybe an added sentance or two, to clarify it. I'm glad you brought this up. Plus, I can't say what, exactly, but it showed me a detail change I need to make in a coming chapter, something I spotted in one of the pics I saw while looking for these. CJ

Ultimate Designs is up. I hope this one comes across okay. I always worry whether I've left too many clues, or not enough. CJ

Surely there are evil lies and deceit; from those who accuse me of cliffhangers. Shameful, really. Huh? Now, when have I ever been sneaky? : I love this!!! Yep, that's a big part of it; I respect the readers too much to subject them to the horrors of cliffhangers. :ranger: And indeed, I am a paragon of integrity when it comes to my utter and total avoidance of cliffhangers. Yes indeed, it is shameful that some authors would stoop so low as to post threads about themselves to validate their beliefs about themselves by posting threads about their writing techniques. Well said! What insecure people such authors must be! Shameful, really. And btw, your food metaphors made me hungry! I'm off to raid the fridge... I do indeed avoid heights... they make me nervous. Thanks! The new chapter is up, and the forum thread will be appearing in a minute. I love leaving clues. My aim is to give enough info for people to figure out the plot, or the resolution to a current minor difficulty. For example, there were many references to sundials, the mechanics of telling time and location via the sun, mentions of the perils of the southern ocean, etc, before Trevor had his minor navigational inconvenience at the hands of the pirates. As for his feeling a little down after departing Atlantis due to the pirates, the clues to how he'd return were scattered about; his open water swimming, his freediving experiences, and simple physics and physiology. I never use cliffhangers, though. Coathangers... hrmmm!

Chapter 81: Ultimate Designs Kookaburra basked in the hot sun, bobbing gently in a light breeze that did little to ease the heat. Trevor and Shane lay side by side on the salon’s deck, working on the book. The deck was hard but cool, so with the aid of cushions for their elbows, it was the most comfortable place to work. Shane had the laptop in front of him, along with many pages of written notes. Trevor leaned in close, looking at the screen, their bare shoulders touching, as Shane finishe

Neither, yet. I haven't had time to work on it, due to other stuff (like a car repair) taking priority. I'll be getting back to it this week. So far, I've tried all advice above, including remounting the CPU (another delay, getting some arctic silver to redo the mounting paste). I just have to put the thing back together again and try it. CJ

I had an idea for a new thread... a place for speculation and analysis of my most well-known trait: the fact that I never use cliffhangers. So, anyone have any theories, speculation, or analysis on how and why I keep my stories completely and absolutely cliffhanger-free? :ranger:

Hrmm.. I dunno... We don't yet know what happens to Trevor after early December, 2006, so that makes Rob's presence in the area in several past timeframes and now 2011 HIGHLY suspicious. And let's look closely at what he wrote, because he's trying to be sneaky; "If I hadn't been in the area in 1997, would I admit it?". Umm, hmmm, hadn't been in the area. So, he seems to be saying, in a very deceptive way, that he was indeed in the area in 1997. Yes, he would, but that proves nothing. He could have been on a jr. apprentice program with Sanchez's cartel, or with pirates. Perhaps he was in pirate school and sinking Ares was a homework assignment? Maybe Captain Hook was his schoolteacher, and assigned sinking Ares as an extra credit assignment? We just don't know... yet.

That's a unique use of poetry! Nasty condition, that... volcanic ash can be nasty if inhaled. And BTW, I declare a CLIFFHANGER.

Ahh, so you have (present tense, I note!) a boat bigger then Bridget's. Very similar though.. and you are very familiar with Bahamian waters. VERY suspicious!! And ahhem! Lucaya is a suburb of Freeport! And if memory serves, the main marine for Freeport is indeed Port Lucaya, where Bridget met with Sanchez once... and is very close to Ares last position!! Interesting obfuscation! Hrmmm, if Rob had been in the area in 1997, would he admit it? And... hrmmm.. what is he doing there now?!?!?!

One more bit I can comment on: I am the king of typos, but that's not one of 'em. I use the ellipsis in two ways; in dialog, it means a pause, a hesitation, or words trailing off. At the end of dialog, it can mean (if so, it will be said in the narrative) the the conversation continued but we don't see it. Usually, it's so I can summarize what would be a long, boring conversation rehashing things we already know. In narration, as quoted, it's as you say, and unfinished/curtailed statement.

Wow! I can at this point only add one item; a concern to allay. I hereby promise that I will not alter the plot to pull the rug out from anyone. That, to my mind, would be cheating. The goal of the author is to leave enough clues so that the mystery CAN be figured out. Changing the plot, or major aspects, in mid-game would be woefully unfair. It would also defeat the purpose of writing a mystery. One aspect of Circumnavigation I'll mention. Some of the plot issues are intentionally tricky. For example, many things can be read two or more ways, and are designed to show certain conclusions based on what is in the reader's mind. Also, some things are tricky in a different way; solving one part correctly is likely to lead to incorrect assumptions elsewhere. There are aspects of the plot (small details) that develop on the fly. One you know of is Shane's inability to count. I bungled the days back at Thanksgiving, which threw my days off, and then decided that I could make use of the issue for some fun; so, Shane miscounted the days. If it hadn't been that, there would have just been a problem with an appointment, resulting in a reschedule for Monday. If I hadn't made the goof, the appointment would have been Friday. But, nothing major (plotwise) would have changed. It was just a good chance for some humor, plus a chance to poke fun at me. One thing I do get shocked by; when people see things in the story that just aren't there! Cliffhangers come immediately to mind. For example, when Trevor had his little pirate problem and resulting navigational inconvenience, I was accused of a cliffhanger! It was truly shocking!

Perspective is indeed a matter of... perspective. Hrmmm.. My own preference is to pick a perspective that best fits the plot and style. I've written in 1st person, 2nd person, and 3rd person. Generally, I let the plot pick the perspective. For some things, you really have to go 3rd person. For example, if you have a great deal going on that can't be known by the protagonist, but is critical to the story, 2nd or 3rd person is your only choice. (and 2nd person is archaic, and has odd rules). In 3rd person, you can indeed keep things from the readers. The narrator cannot lie, but the narrator is also under no obligation to tell everything, especially if it happens "off camera". One may, for example, in a scene with two people, only show one person's thoughts and feelings. Or, you may show both, but carefully, as that can be confusing to read unless done with care. What you don't have to do is divulge all that has occurred, or what a character knows. As an example, a character with a past. You are under no obligation to divulge said past, if you prefer to wait for the character to do so, or prefer to disclose it at a later point. As an example, take most any mystery novel in 3rd person. Clearly, the narrator isn't going to give away the whole plot early on. The general rule I follow is that the narrator can never lie or be mistaken, but characters certainly can. The narrator, however, is under no obligation to tall all, and may surely pick the time they do disclose things. Take, for example, a whodoneit, where there has been a murder. The narrator knows who the killer is, but chooses to follow the characters as they figure it out. At some point in the story, the truth will be known, but iut would ruin the whole thing id the story started off with "Last Saturday, as the storm's fury grew, Arnold listened to the rain pelting against his old windows. He heard a sound from behind, and was about to turn, only to be rent by cold agony from the knife ripping into his back. Frank had finally settled the old score by killing him." The last line, of course, does not need to be there, and in many cases shouldn't be. In 1st person, you are limited by what the protagonist knows. That is not an absolute though, as there are limited ways around it. One way is to leave clues that the reader can pick up on, though the protagonist hasn't. Another angle is the narrative style in 1st person; are they recounting it well after the fact? If so, they may do so in a style that shows they know the entire thing, and are referring to future events from the narrative perspective; "I ran like hell, thinking I was going to be ripped apart. Months later, I learned the damn dog was toothless, but I didn't know it then. Laugh if you like, but I thought I was gonna die." (as an aside, if you do much of that, your first-person narrator is really becoming a 3rd person narrator.) Another way is to leave clues that the readers might pick up on, but the protagonist doesn't. A further option is the prologue; this can be in a different perspective and timeframe. It might be third person and halfway through a 1st person story's timeline, for example. There are also ways to add a bit of 1st person to a 3rd person narrative. One of them is to give the reader a peek into a journal or log written by the character, which is written by them in 1st person. Just my 2 cents, and just my opinions.

Kline is a sneaky and unscrupulous type. Indeed, characters can lie or be mistaken. The narrator can't. Well, if the narrator is, as in the case of days of the week seen around thanksgiving, the dolt has to fix it... but other than honest errors that must be corrected, the narrator cannot lie. There are cases where I fudge things a bit. I can and do check tide times for the story, though that's often hard. (when historic data is unavailable, I check moon rise and set times, and compare it to current tide times vs. moon rise and set times, which gies me an approximation). I check weather when possible, though that's often not possible. Trevor's crossing of the Indian Ocean, for example, was easier; it used real weather data, storms and all. Finding weather data for other times and places was harder. The distant lightning seen in Carnervon when Shane showed up, for example, was an extrapolation; T-storms in the inland mountains were possible based on temp and humidity, but there was no way I could discern if a distant t-storm occurred. Trevor is indeed at risk of missing his relatives... and he needs info from Dirk. LoL...I'm not the only one who misspells Kookaburra. One of these days, I shall learn to use names that I can spell... though that ain't many. I can confirm that impersonating a law enforcement officer is an offense in Australia. It can be a very serious one, too. That doesn't mean that Kline wouldn't do it, though. I can say that whatever Kline has planned will be seen. Hrmmm, that "forgetting your head if it wasn't attached" could be a tad ominous, when seen against Sanchez's desire for Trevor's literal head, and that presently, the person aboard (due to Trevor having a dye job) who most closely matches Trevor's description is Shane. (Shane is blond). And hrmmm, didn't Lisa make a comment about ripping Shane's head off a few chapters back? And remember, if you call that a cliffhanger, you're accusing Shane, not me, based on your theory that Shane wrote the story. Thanks!! *************** Before I forget, the title of the next chapter is "Ultimate designs".

I might be willing to admit it... *IF* we could all agree that, if I do, then any perceived cliffhangers perforce belong to Shane.

It sure did...

I love this thread! I largely must recuse myself though, because there is a rumor going around that I actually might know the details of the plot. (odd, that I'm actually accused of knowing something... I'm more often accused of knowing nothing). However, I can help with some of the details... The weather on may 28th, 1997, was indeed calm, with some light breezes. Just a typical June day for the Bahamas. I can also confirm that the water in the area was indeed wet.

ACK! Me and my typos... (fixed!) I am not known as the King of Typos for nothing! (See? I admit to being king of something... it's just Cliffhangers that I've been framed for!!) It is true.. I cannot count! I have a big problem with typos (Pity my long-suffering team, who have to deal with them), and they often occur in the worst places. For example, in Let the Music Play, there was a scene where one of the main characters was in a photo shoot, and it was supposed to be a hot description, him sweaty and shirtless, etc etc. Only... I typoed and left the "r" out of "shirtless". Kinda changed the whole scene in an unwanted way!

The story title means it's pretty much impossible for me to end it in Australia.

As a guess, just less than 20 chapters to go. The penultimate means something important will happen in 81, but not the end of the story.

They are indeed both damaged. Lingering effects of things in their past that have made them who they are.

The time jumps were well paced and worked smoothly, not easy to do. The arm not bending the way it should... that scene made me smile. I remember a guy in my high school (not me!) who tried a skateboard rail slide over concrete stairs. He was soon howling from pain AND telling the guy filming to keep filming. :wacko: Well done, and the ending was great.

Interesting take, as the humans are effectively the aliens. I don't know why, but the "flame brother" part was my favorite.