Well, I'm a little nervous posting this, but what the heck! This is part of a chapter of the novel I am attempting to write. I know I shouldn't spill the beans, but I'm sending little pieces out to most everyone I know. General critique is always welcome (may not be agreed with, but certainly welcome).

Leslie has read the whole chapter. She said she may never dive Karpata again......


Chapter 5

The sun was low in the late afternoon Bonairean sky as Tiffany Wilcox drove north along the scenic coastal road. She was on her way to the dive site known as Karpata to make a final dive for the day. Karpata is at the northern most end of the coastal road, and has always been one of her favorite dive sites on the island.

She had planned to do this dive alone, or "solo" as it is referred to in the dive community. She is well aware of the risks. Most dive training teaches against solo diving - it is best to dive in pairs to facilitate and help each other in cases of emergency. However, with several hundred dives to her credit, she feels confidant in her underwater skills. She has dove solo on other occasions and knows the Karpata dive site fairly well. With its gentle ocean and mild currents, the urge to solo dive on Bonaire is overwhelming to some.

Wilcox has spent the last two days doing research with her students. They are a mix of biology and botany majors from Arkansas State University. They are all graduate students and she is their academic advisor. This is the second time that she has brought a group to Bonaire for a week long research project. She loves them all and she loves the work they do. But she does like to get away from them once in a while.

"I need this," she rationalizes, "I am wiped out from working with my students for the last two days. This will be relaxing."

The coastal road is well maintained and in excellent repair. It is only one lane wide but handles two-way traffic for the southern half of its span. Most of the traffic is tourists looking for places to SCUBA dive or snorkel. She passes several marked dive sites along the way, but there is very little sign of other people. The road winds back and forth slightly as it follows the contours of the water's edge. To her left the embankment drops off sharply to the ocean. To her right are towering cliffs that were ridged and grooved by the constant pounding of the ocean millions of years ago. After many trips on this road, Tiffany Wilcox still marvels that a long time ago the surface of the sea was at least five or six stories above her. She gently shakes her head back and forth in wonderment and awe.

She passes cacti dotting the roadside and cliffs. Small lizards make their way across the road in front of her. She slows and avoids the ones that she can, but is unable to miss the ones that dart quickly out in front of her vehicle. For some unknown reason, they are trying desperately to make it to the other side of the road. Unfortunately for many, they don't make it.

With all four windows down, she soaks up the warm breeze and marvels at the brilliance of the sun off her left side. Over her swimsuit, she wears a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. The swimsuit is still damp from a previous dive and the breeze across it keeps her from becoming too hot. She grabs her water bottle and takes a long, hard sip. She swallows, and takes another.

"God, does it get any better than this?" Wilcox wonders as she continues her drive north.

She finally drives around the last curve in the road and pulls into the small parking lot at the Karpata dive site. She leaves the truck in first gear and sets the parking brake. She grabs her water bottle, opens the door, and gets out of the truck. Instinctively, she walks over to a small ledge and looks out at the entry spot she will use to access the ocean. She notices that the water is unusually calm, with very little surf or surge. Just below the surface of the water at the entry point are some rather good sized rocks. These rocks must be walked on, around, and through in order to get out to deeper water. The calm surface should make the entry relatively easy.

"This should be a snap," she concludes excitedly.

She takes another sip of water, turns around, and starts to confidently walk towards her truck to prepare her dive gear. Out of the corner of her eye, a figure catches her attention. She turns and vaguely recognizes the man walking towards her.

........

Dave................................NO FAIR!!!!

I think it's very good.

AND.......

???

Love it, but please tell me it's not a slasher novel and Jason or Freddie is going to show up on "our" little island!

Not a slasher... not a blood and gore.

It really has nothing to do with Bonaire, except for the location. This novel could actually take place anywhere in the world. Bonaire was chosen for the fact that we are pretty familiar with it, and because very few people have ever been there.

It is more of a "why they dun it" as opposed to a "who dun it". Starts off in the states and ends on Bonaire.

Not wanting to be banned from the island, nothing bad or insulting in regards to Bonaire will be in the book. It's just the location the the villian and hero end up at.

Who knows, it may never happen....

BTW: Please excuse the change of tense half way through the passage. I just noticed that. Crap - another rewrite!

...don't leave us hanging in suspense!

RoseAnn, I 'm not going to be there until the later part of this year.
Dave great so far I would read it in a moment..
I kind of think this should be in CC though because it really doesn't have anything to do with the real Bonaire.. if the other Moderators think differently they can always move it back but for now CC here it comes.. and btw we want MORE!!!

Good afternoon Miss Freddie.
(97)

Dave - great stuff so far - I'd like to Illustrate to cover for you.

Timmy,

That may be a possibility. However, keep in mind that this is pretty much a pipe dream right now.

Having cover art implies having a cover, which implies having an offer to publish, which implies having a publisher, which implies having a book, which implies having an approved manuscript.....

If things work out, I will absolutely get in touch.

Ok. Yes this is quite the tease. You are leaving us in suspense! We are now anxiously WAITING :-) When can we expect this will be complete, published, and available for your new fans?

No pressure ofcourse :-)

Dave, It's just like fishing. You put the hook in and just start reeling........................

HEEHEE Freddie! Of course you know I was referring to the Freddie of Elm Street...but then again I hear you slap pretty darn hard!!!
Maybe there is a new scarier Freddie in town!

Hey Dave, liked it, may we have more please?

I'm keeping my fingers crossed - I want to know who the Dude is and why is he there. Is he good looking? What's he wearing?

Hey, and you know if you need... we BTrs are really good at jamming phone lines and email boxes to get what we want hint hint!

OK I have enough time without the rest of the story come on Dave....get it in print!!

Freddie,

Oh, I have it in print.... but I need to rewrite the second half of that chapter - problems with tense and point of view.

Spent last night on chapter 2 doing the same.

This life long dream may take me a lifetime!

Keep on writing! We'll be here to support your efforts.