C.L.R. Dougherty's Blog

Assassins and Liars is now available as an audiobook.

If you enjoyed reading about Finn and Mary in Assassins and Liars , you'll get an extra kick from listening to the audiobook. Narrated and produced by David Bosco, it's available now. To download your copy or to listen to a sample from Audible.com, CLICK HERE.

This is my first experience with publishing an audiobook, and I'm excited by the way David Bosco brings Finn and Mary to life. David is a storyteller in his own right, and he does more than just read the manuscript. His performance has given me a different perspective on the book, even though I wrote it.

I'm putting the finishing touches on the first draft of Sailors and Sirens , the fourth book in the Finn series. As I write the dialog, I find myself hearing Finn and Mary as David rendered them in Assassins and Liars . That's a real treat for me, and a tribute to his ability to give them unique voices. Working with him on Assassins and Liars was a blast.

Even if you're not a fan of audiobooks, click through to the book's page on Audible.com and listen to the sample. The audio version of Assassins and Liars is available on Amazon and iTunes, as well, but Audible has some subscription offers that might appeal.

Meanwhile, I'm working with David on an audio version of Avengers and Rogues , the second book in the series. The audio version of Avengers and Rogues will be released in July. Sailors and Sirens , the fourth book in the series, will be available for preorder as an ebook in June.

A New Sailing Thriller Series is Available -- Start Reading The J.R. Finn Sailing Mysteries

The J.R. Finn Sailing Mystery Series

I was alone, tying my dinghy to the landing in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia's lagoon when she approached me. She was an attractive young woman in a nondescript way — clean-cut and self-confident. I was looking down at the cleat where I tied the dinghy when her bare feet came into my field of vision just before she spoke.

"Coming or going?" she asked.

Distracted while fumbling to lock the dinghy to the dock, I looked up at her. No shoes, cutoffs, a plain T-shirt, and a well-worn backpack hanging from one shoulder. She looked me in the eye, smiling. All in all, an appealing young woman. My guess is she was in her early twenties — about my daughter's age.

"Sorry," I said. "What's that?"

Holding my gaze, she grinned and said, "I was wondering if you were just arriving, or if you were about to leave St. Lucia."

"I've been here a couple of days," I said. "Why?"

"I'm looking for a ride. You a single-hander?"

"No."

"Got a lady already?"

"My wife's aboard."

"That's okay," she said. "I'm still interested. I'm flexible."

Confused, I shook my head. "I have no plans to leave any time soon. Sorry."

"No problem, but if you run across anybody looking for crew, tell 'em they can find me in the bar over there, please."

"Sure," I said. "Where are you looking to go?"

"Anywhere," she said. "Thanks."

I nodded and she turned away, walking back up the ramp from the dinghy dock toward the bar.

The encounter was quite a few years ago, but it's one of those memories that remains vivid. I thought at the time that she was living dangerously. Maybe she thought I looked harmless, or maybe she didn't care. I've wondered what became of her. Every time I read about a woman going missing, she comes to mind.

I was writing Bluewater Killer  when she approached me. I was well into the novel, building a plot around a father's search for his daughter who was missing in the islands. That young woman in St. Lucia fueled my imagination, giving me an idea about what could have happened to Dani Berger, the missing girl. Fifteen books later in the Bluewater Thrillers series, Dani's proved that she can take care of herself.

Early in 2018, I decided to write a new series of sailing thrillers. At that point, my second sailing thriller series, the Connie Barrera Thrillers, was well established. The Connie Barrera books are a spin-off from the Bluewater Thrillers. I was looking for something different; I needed a new challenge.

I decided on a male protagonist, as both of my established series featured women in the lead roles. And I decided to try writing in the first person, which turned out to be far more difficult than I expected, but that's another story.

I settled on a man named Finn as my protagonist. Finn's a retired government assassin, living on a beat-up old sailboat in the islands. Or maybe he's not really retired. Maybe he does a little contract work for his old employer.

I needed an opening scene for Finn's first adventure. I searched my memory for something suitable. That's one of my tricks, drawing on my memories of experiences in the islands. That girl who approached me at the dinghy dock in St. Lucia came to mind.

While she'd already given me an idea of how Dani went missing, I still wondered about her. I figured she had more to offer. I'm sure she wasn't as innocent as she appeared to be, but what if she were a predator in her own right?

Did I look like a potential victim to her? A lonely older man, somebody she could scam, or worse? What if she approached Finn, instead of me?

And that's how Assassins and Liars began. When she introduced herself to Finn, I learned that her name was Mary. Finn, being unattached and amenable to company for his own reasons, decided to give Mary a ride. If nothing else, he figured she would give him a cover story as he undertook his next mission.

Finn's not an easy mark, but Mary played him nonetheless. Indeed, Mary turned out to be quite a predator. She may be an even match for Finn. Time will tell.

Assassins and Liars recounts Finn's experiences as they got to know one another. They both had some surprises along the way, but by the end of Assassins and Liars , they were attached to each another.

And so the J.R. Finn Sailing Mystery Series began. I've just released the second book, Avengers and Rogues , for pre-order. Finn's still trying to understand what Mary's game is, but he's enjoying her company more than he thought he would. And she seems to be fond of him, too. There's still plenty of trouble ahead for both of them as Finn tries to decide whether they're a couple or just business acquaintances. We'll have to wait for the third book to see how things turn out.

I'm about halfway through book 3, which I'm calling Vigilantes and Lovers for now. It will be out soon, so go ahead and get started on the first two books. If you like suspense and sailing, you'll enjoy this series.

Bluewater Target is Available for Pre-order in the Kindle Store -- Living What I Write, Part III

Bluewater Target  is available for pre-order in the Kindle Store. The official release date is July 18, 2018. There's a limited-time price for early pre-orders, so act now. The price will be going up soon.

CLICK HERE to go to the Amazon page and place your pre-order. Your copy will be downloaded to your device on the release date.

Bluewater Target  is the fifteenth novel in the Bluewater Thriller Series.

The Story:

Marie LaCroix is planning an assassination in Washington.

She wants to use the yacht Vengeance as her base. Marie has approached Dani Berger, who runs the charter yacht with her partner, Liz Chirac. Dani is an adrenalin junky; she's ready for action. But what about Liz?

Join the three friends on their storm-tossed sail from Martinique to the Chesapeake Bay. Watch them plan their hit. Their target is a killer himself. Will he turn their plans against them?

Read  Bluewater Target  and find out. You'll enjoy the ride.

In my last post, I mentioned that my description of Vengeance's voyage from Martinique to the Chesapeake Bay was based on one of the most recent sailing trips my wife and I made. We sailed the route that Vengeance follows in Bluewater Target. We chose that route for the same reasons Dani and Liz did -- to avoid a big storm system in the North Atlantic.

Plans based on weather forecasts don't always work the way we expect, as the women on Vengeance discovered.

Here's another repost from our sailing blog describing the effect that weather has on sailing voyages. While we experienced this in a different part of the Caribbean, it illustrates the experience of 'beating into the wind.'  In Bluewater Target, Vengeance was beating into the wind on her way through the Old Bahama Channel.

From Voyage of the Play Actor
May 25, 2015

Living What I Write, Part III:
This morning
Next Tuesday morningIf you hang around with cruising sailors, you'll hear that phrase, "waiting for weather," often.  Here's why we've been waiting for weather to go from St. Martin to Antigua for the last week.

The little things that look like hockey sticks scattered across the weather maps show the wind direction.  The number of 'barbs' in the hook show the relative wind strength.  These winds are all in the 10 to 15 knot range, and that's a pleasant sailing breeze. The blue areas are rain -- the darker, the heavier.

If you look at the red dotted line on this morning's weather map, you'll see the route that we would have to follow to reach Antigua if we were sailing today.  Having the wind in our face doesn't mean we couldn't get there, but it would take us almost twice as long as it will take on next Tuesday morning, when we can sail right along the black dotted line.  That's about a 14 hour trip to cover the 90-odd miles, instead of the 20-plus hours that it would take if we were doing it today.  Of course, these forecasts are every bit as accurate as the ones that you get for your local weather.

The other option, if we were on a tight schedule, would be to use our engine to drive straight into the wind, but that makes for an unpleasant ride.  Aside from the noise and vibration, we would be plowing directly into the wind-driven waves.  The ride would be rough and the spray would be flying, and we would miss the stabilizing effect of the sails. That means we would also be rolling a good bit with the ocean swell.  So, we're waiting for weather, even though it's a beautiful day in St. Martin -- 80 degrees, partly cloudy, with a nice breeze, blowing straight from where we want to go. It's "Nassaba, mon. Jus' wait. Soon come." (Nassaba means not so bad, in the local patois.) as they say down here. We hope that you have nice weather wherever you are.

Bluewater Target, A New Bluewater Thriller: Writing From My Experience

I've finished Bluewater Target, the fifteenth Bluewater Thriller. It's in the editors' hands now. We'll release it soon.

The Story:

Marie LaCroix is planning an assassination in Washington.

She expects to use the yacht Vengeance as her base. Marie has approached Dani Berger, who runs the charter yacht with Liz Chirac. Dani is an adrenalin junky; she's ready for action. She's worried about how Liz will react, though. Sure her partner will have reservations, Dani schemes to send her off on a vacation.

Liz won't hear of it. Marie's project fascinates her. Besides, Liz loves the open ocean; the sail from Martinique to the Chesapeake Bay appeals to her. It's a break from their normal island-hopping cruises.

Join them for their storm-tossed trip and watch them plan their hit. Their victim is no easy target. Clayton Delaney is the founder and CEO of a mercenary black-ops group, a private army with deep ties to the U.S. government. Will he turn their plans against them?

In my last post, I mentioned that my description of Vengeance's voyage from Martinique to the Chesapeake Bay was based on one of the most recent sailing trips my wife and I made. We sailed the route that Vengeance follows in Bluewater Target. We chose that route for the same reasons Dani and Liz did -- to avoid a big storm system in the North Atlantic.

Plans based on weather forecasts don't always work the way we expect, as the women on Vengeance discovered.

Here's a repost from our sailing blog describing the experience reflected in Bluewater Target.

From Voyage of the Play Actor
May 25, 2015

Living What I Write, Part III:

“I’m excited about taking the Old Bahama Channel route,” Leslie said, after I raised the anchor.“Because we haven’t done it before?” I asked.“That, plus we can sail straight through to Florida.  I wasn’t looking forward to island hopping through the Bahamas.  Been there, done that.”"Well, once we're past Great Inagua, we're committed.  There's nowhere to stop for 600 miles," I said."Nothing to it," she said.  "Five or six days -- we're already in the rhythm of standing watches." We left West Caicos on Tuesday morning with a light easterly wind. It was blowing less than ten knots. That's enough wind to move the boat, but not enough to make good speed, since it was directly behind us. Our expectation was that it was the precursor to the return of the easterly trade winds. Motorsailing in the light air, we set a course to Great Inagua, the southernmost of the Bahama Islands. It’s an isolated island roughly midway between the Caicos Bank and Cuba.

We thought we could wait there for more wind unless the wind built while we were en route. We needed to hoard our diesel fuel this early in such a long trip; there are no fuel docks at sea and we only carry enough to cover about 500 miles at best. After two hours, the wind had filled in to around twelve knots, and we shut down the engine. We weren’t going very fast, but we were making progress toward our destination. By sunset, Great Inagua was off our port beam, and we decided not to stop.

We sailed through the evening at three to four knots, enjoying being under way and at sea again. We had a peaceful night, and by morning, there was enough wind so that we dropped the Yankee jib, the larger of our two headsails. We were making a comfortable five knots, congratulating ourselves on our decision to take this route instead of going north through the Bahamas. We knew from the offshore weather broadcasts that a cold front had come off the Florida coast and was making things rough and unpleasant in the central Bahamas.

By noon, the wind died. Using our high frequency radio system, I downloaded weather fax charts from NOAA. We could see that there was wind in the Old Bahama Channel, not too far ahead of us. We decided to burn some of our precious diesel fuel. By the time we reached Diamond Point, the southern tip of the Great Bahama Bank, we realized that the cold front had moved much farther south than expected. When we reached the Old Bahama Channel, we were into the weather pattern that’s typical of a frontal passage.

It was cold; the sky was gray and cloudy. There were thunderstorms, and the wind was blowing hard from the northwest. This kind of weather is not normal this far south, even in mid-winter, but it’s almost unheard of in May. Climate change? Maybe so; it’s having a personal impact on us, anyway. Not only did we have 20 plus knots of wind in our faces, but it enhanced the normal foul current in the 10-mile-wide channel between Cuba and the Bahama Bank. We had a three knot current opposing us.

Our nominal speed under typical conditions is 5 or 6 knots; we were unable to make progress in the direction we wanted to go. Even with the engine running, we could only make two or three knots along our course. We would have run out of diesel fuel long before we made it to Florida. Under sail alone, we were losing ground. We decided to heave to, which gave us an easy ride in the sloppy conditions, but we were making three to four knots in the wrong direction.

We reduced sail by taking a second reef in the main to cope with the gusts in the thunderstorms and started sailing again. We were beating back and forth across the channel, dodging freighters which were likewise trying to wait out this odd weather. This tactic worked well enough. On one tack, we gained a few miles along our course. On the other, we lost a few more than we gained. Throughout the afternoon and the night, we kept up the monotonous routine.

After 20 hours, the wind clocked to the north. We had lost about 20 miles, but now we could sail. We were close hauled, sailing hard on the wind, but we were making progress again, and we knew the wind would eventually clock to the northeast.
In the midst of the stormy weather, we had several bedraggled little birds land on the boat.  They were blown offshore from Cuba.  They would pause for an hour or two, watching us carefully, and then fly off.

This one stayed for a day and half, hidden in our rowing dinghy.  She came out to visit after the sun came out. The next afternoon, the wind at last clocked to the northeast, and we had 15 to 20 knots on our beam as we took up our course. That gave us perfect sailing conditions and we began to make up lost time. Next week: Storms at sea are part of offshore sailing.

Living What I Write

"Surely you've been caught in storms?" Liz asked Marie LaCroix, in the latest Bluewater Thriller, the one I'm writing now.

"The small ones you call the squalls, yes," Marie said. "But they last only for a short time. And I was in power boats, always only a few minutes from safety, given the speed. I am thinking that Vengeance, she cannot run so fast, and the storms at sea, maybe they last for some days, yes?"

"They can," Liz said, "but it's different in open water."

If you've read the series, you know Marie. If you haven't, I'll tell you that Marie is a veteran of the IDF and Mossad, and she's a fierce woman. She's chartered Vengeance for a trip from the Eastern Caribbean to the Chesapeake, where she plans to use the yacht as her base of operations. She's on a mission to assassinate an ugly character who well deserves to die.

Dani Berger and Liz Chirac are surprised to discover that Marie's nervous about the weather offshore. They think of her as fearless.

As I sit in my office in Fort Worth, Texas, hundreds of miles from the blue water that I still regard as home, I draw on my memories of squalls and storms in open water. In the years my wife and I spent at sea aboard Play Actor, we weathered our share of storms, from "the small ones you call squalls" to full-blown hurricanes.

Here's a post from our sailing blog that describes a squall that hit us in the very waters where Marie and her friends are now. I'll post a few more of these as I work on the story of Marie's adventure with Dani and Liz.

April 3, 2015, originally posted on The Voyage of the Play Actor

My wife was crouched at the base of Play Actor's mast during a violent squall. She was flattening our mainsail to de-power it for the high winds when there was a crack like a rifle shot and she fell backward to the wildly pitching deck. Her harness and tether kept her from going overboard, and before I could lash the helm and go to her aid, she recovered. A piece of hardware in the boom vang, the block and tackle she was using, had parted. The stainless steel had grown brittle with age. She collected the pieces and brought them back to show me.

"Now what?" she asked over the howl of the wind in the rigging.

"We either need to reef the main or drop it," I said.

It was dawn when the squall struck. We had been trading off during the night, changing watch every four hours, and after a clear, moonlit night, we were taken by surprise. With the full mainsail flying, we were overpowered as the wind piped up into the mid-30-knot range. It wasn't dangerous, at least not yet, but it was a long way from the benign sail that we'd enjoyed through the night, and we still had several hours to go before our planned landfall in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.

We left St. Martin late the previous afternoon and experienced one of those aesthetic treats reserved for offshore sailors. We were out of sight of land when the sun set. There was a green flash, a rare enough phenomenon, but this one occurred as the disc of the sun sunk below the top of the clouds on the horizon. In our years sailing the tropics, we've seen our share of green flashes, but never one that happened when clouds obscured the horizon. For a moment, the clouds were glowing green, but I've never managed to get a photograph of a green flash.

As the sun's golden glow faded from the indigo water, the moon rose off our stern. It was a waxing moon, a day or two before full, and the sky behind us to the east was clear. As the reddish-gold highlights of sunset faded, our world turned black and white and silver. Except for two whales that breached nearby just before sunset and two cruise ships that passed us just after, we had no other company.

We spent the night sailing, in awe of our surroundings. Sailing itself is magic; harnessing the power of a steady, gentle breeze to move a boat that weighs tens of tons through such an ethereal setting is transcendent. For that night, we were the only two people in the world, and what a world it was.

The sea at night, far from land, has always been our special place, but that night will stay in our memory as one of our best. It ended as dramatically as it had begun; as the moon set off our bow, the sun rose behind us, turning shades of gray with silver highlights to dazzling flashes of gold.

Although it had been a clear night, we had a few brief, misty rain showers. They barely wet the deck, the eerie diffusion of light through the moisture-laden air adding to the sense of otherworldliness. And then, as the golden sunrise became daylight, the light northeasterly wind bought the squall. At first, we thought it was another shower, until the wind piped up.

Thirty plus knots of wind isn't rare offshore. We've sailed in that kind of wind for days at a time. This morning, though, we were tired. We had set out on a single overnight passage to begin a journey that will span the next couple of months. We had not yet settled into the rhythm of watch-keeping, so neither of us had slept during our off watches.  We were tired, ready to drop the anchor and get some rest.

We could see St. John looming on the horizon through the breaks in the rain. We looked at each other, deciding whether to reduce the size of the mainsail with a reef, or just take it down. Reefing was more work, but we could keep sailing. Taking it down meant running the auxiliary engine. Looking at Leslie and raising my eyebrows, I reached for the ignition key. She nodded her agreement.

Leslie took the helm and pointed the bow into the wind, revving up the diesel, while I went forward and dropped the mainsail, wrestling the hundreds of square feet of wet, slippery sailcloth into submission and lashing it to the boom. Working one-handed, I held on to keep from being knocked down by the gyrations of Play Actor as she smashed into the waves, wind-driven spray flying, soaking me.

I'm writing this as we sit in a calm anchorage a few yards off a pristine beach south of Caneel Bay, St. John. We've already forgotten the bruises and the sore muscles. They're a small price to pay for what we had last night.

We’re taking Play Actor back to the States for the first time since 2004. It’s good to be making an extended trip for a change, as opposed to the short hops between islands that we’ve done for the last ten years.

There will be more reposts like this one. I expect they’ll form the basis of a third non-fiction book. Until then though, rereading them refreshes my memories as I work on the next Bluewater Thriller.

We released A Torn Sail - A Connie Barrera Thriller on April 2, 2018.

The ninth Connie Barrera Thriller is out! To get your copy, CLICK HERE.

Here’s what Connie has to say about it:

I had been cross and out of sorts with Paul for the last week, trying to decide how to tell him something that was going to upset our idyllic life aboard Diamantista II. We had guests aboard, so I couldn’t be open with him. Besides, I wasn’t sure what to tell him.

The day our guests left, two jerks kidnapped me before I could sort out my feelings and talk with Paul. I overheard enough of their conversation to decide that they were working for someone who wanted revenge, but I couldn’t figure out which of my enemies sent them.

I knew Paul would come to my rescue, but I wasn’t sure if he’d be fast enough. I did my best to survive on my own. I didn’t rule out escape, either, but it wasn’t going to be easy.

Aside from fending for myself, I was overcome by guilt for having failed to confide in Paul when I should have. I felt like I’d betrayed him on several levels. He’s not just my husband and my business partner; he’s my best friend.

I didn’t discover how wrong I had been about everything — my personal problem, the kidnappers, just everything — until Paul showed up with our friends to rescue me.

"What's that, Dani? Why are you screaming at me?"

I need to go. Dani Berger is having a fit, because she just realized she and Liz missed their last turn at Bud's blog. They forgot to announce their last adventure, Bluewater Quest . They were too distracted by fishing with Bud’s granddaughter when the book was released. Now they’ll have to wait their turn to announce their next book, but it shouldn’t be too long. Dani and Liz are up to something already.

Meanwhile, I hope you’ll join me and Paul for A Torn Sail . We’d love to entertain you with our latest adventure.

xxxx,
Connie

There's a new Connie Barrera Thriller! An Easy Sail is available for pre-order.

Here's Connie to tell you about it.

Paul and I survived another unplanned encounter with a drug dealer in An Easy Sail . The villain was the same loser who stole Vengeance in Dani and Liz's last tale, Bluewater Enigma . I don't want to spoil the surprises in An Easy Sail , so I won't say more on that topic.

As I write this post, the northern Leeward Islands are cleaning up after Hurricane Irma. The opening scenes of An Easy Sail find Paul and me at Jolly Harbour, Antigua, just days before the storm.

We were there to pick up a new charter guest. On her first day aboard, we sailed around the southwest corner of the island to visit English Harbour. We didn't linger there, thank goodness. We were fortunate enough to be well south of the area by the time Irma struck.

All of us from my books and the Bluewater Thrillers are safe. We're wondering about our friends who live ashore, though. Besides Antigua and Barbuda, two of our other hangouts, St. Martin and St. Barth, were devastated. The U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were hit hard, too. We wish them all the best in their recovery work, and we're looking forward to visiting them again soon.

"Stop it, Dani! Liz, do something with her, will you?"

Dani's trying to get her hands on the keyboard. I told her that this is my post. She can write one of her own to tell you about their next adventure, or to complain about whatever's bothering her.

She's still upset that Bud is working on that new series. She's arguing that he should write the next Bluewater Thriller first, but I think there's more to her anger -- something to do with An Easy Sail. It's probably best if we keep her off the computer until she cools down.

Dani and Liz are here with us in Fort-de-France, Martinique. We're all visiting with Phillip and Sandrine, rehashing what happened to my "easy" sail. Paul and I would enjoy sharing the details with you. Pick up a copy of An Easy Sail and join us.

xxxx,
Connie

There's a new Bluewater Thriller! Bluewater Enigma is available for preorder.

Hello. It's Liz at the keyboard.Dani and I wanted to let everybody know that Bud survived writing Bluewater Enigma .There was a period when I thought Dani might do him in, but we got past that. When he let those people steal Vengeance, it was all I could do to hold her back. I only succeeded by reminding her that it was early in the story. I convinced her to wait and see how it ended before she did anything rash.Fortunately for Bud, the story ended well for us, so Dani grudgingly agreed to let him write another book. She's on the phone with Connie right now, warning her about what he's up to.Poor guy doesn't stand a chance, caught between the two of them. When Connie finds out he's thinking about a third series that doesn't include any of us, I'm not sure how she'll react.She and Dani think that he should only be allowed to write about them. He has his own ideas about that, though. He's already started Connie's next story, but he's working on another book at the same time. I'm doing my best to persuade Dani to let Connie deal with that. We've got enough to do without getting caught between Connie and Bud.Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy Bluewater Enigma. Get yourself a copy and let us know what you think. Click on the cover image for more information.

Thanks for reading about us!
xxxx,
Liz

It was a setup!

COMING SOON!I am so angry with Bud that I'd like to --.
Okay, okay, Liz! Stop kicking me. Liz is engaging in her favorite form of non-verbal communication. I'll tone it down, okay? Liz is nodding, but she's got this skeptical look on her face.

She's partly to blame for this, but I'll let that go, for now. It all started when Bud encouraged us to take a break after that big party in Miami. You read Bluewater Revolution , so you know about that.

Liz and I thought he just wanted us out of the way so Connie and Paul would have some time with him to work through their latest story. We were okay with that. They're friends; we taught her to sail. What's that, Liz? Oh, right. She' s reminding me that we introduced Connie and Paul to each other.

Anyway, we played along with Bud. Liz and I went to New York for a couple of weeks. For some reason, she wanted to meet my mother. That was interesting, but I don't want to get sidetracked. Bud is a big enough source of aggravation without adding my mother to the mix.

While we were gone, Bud let some lowlifes steal Vengeance. Liz and I came back to Miami to find an empty slip. Bud's working with us on that, but he's got something else going on, too. He's trying to hide it, but he should know better.

Let me explain, for those who might not know about writers. They're odd people. They have a bunch of characters living in their heads, like me and Liz, for example. There's nothing he can do about it. We're just there, wandering around in his mind. He tries to shut us out by going to sleep sometimes. And sometimes, we let him sleep. But we're still in there, looking around.

That's how we found out about this man who's living in Puerto Rico on a beat-up little boat called Island Girl. We aren't sure what he's up to, but he's convinced Bud to write a book about it.

And last night, I discovered it's not just one book. He wants a whole series! So far, he's not even planning to let us play in his story, either. We'll see about that, if we even let Bud do this.

Okay, Liz, stop it!

She's kicking me again. I know we can't stop him. Bud, that is. But we can drive him crazy. Or at least crazier than he already is.

Liz is arguing that we should leave Bud alone as long as he's helping us get Vengeance back. I hate it when she and Bud gang up on me.

At least he's promised us that he'll see us through our latest adventure before he lets this upstart on Island Girl take the stage.

We're calling our new book  Bluewater Enigma . It should be finished by the summer, unless Bud crosses me. In that case, Bud may be finished by summer.

Stop it, Liz! That's your last free kick. Bud knows I'm not serious, and so do you.

Before I get back to work, let me just say thanks to all of you for keeping us afloat. Liz and I appreciate it. Bud does, too.

XXXX,
Dani
P.S. What do you readers think? Should we let him start another series? He pays more attention to you than he does to us. Tell him how you feel about it.

Under Full Sail - A Connie Barrera Thriller is available

Bud finally has my latest book, Under Full Sail , available for preorder in the Kindle Store. You can click on the cover image to the left for details or to reserve your copy.

Paul and I were getting a little irritated with him. He wasn't writing fast enough to keep up with us, and he kept leaving us in tense situations while he was playing with those grandchildren.

Not that I blame him; they're great fun. That 11-year-old girl keeps taking him fishing when we want him to be writing, and there's a new one, too, another grandson. He joined the crowd just before the holidays. He's a handsome little rascal, and he's already spoiled by his four older sisters, not to mention the rest of us. Anyhow, we survived the disruptions and Bud got our story written.

Paul and I thought we were going to get a little time to ourselves on our way back to the islands after that big party in Miami. It was a blast to have the whole crowd together, but if you've read Bluewater Revolution , you know that already.

Bud had other plans for us. We had an easy passage from Miami to the Virgins, and we spent a few days there to rest and restock the pantry. We had a little over two weeks before our next charter guests were due in Grenada, so we decided to stop at Isla de Aves. It's one of those out-of-the-way spots that seems like a perfect escape.

Isla de Aves is technically part of Venezuela, but it's far closer to Dominica and Guadeloupe. It's tiny -- think square yards, not square miles -- and uninhabited except for two colonies of terns and the sea turtles that lay their eggs there.

We'd no sooner set foot ashore than we encountered a man who was stranded there. He was in bad shape physically, and he had no idea who he was or how he got there. We couldn't just leave him there to die, so we decided to take him to Dominica and get some help for him. So much for our vacation.

And that's where our latest tale begins. Order a copy of Under Full Sail and join Paul and me as we discover who the castaway is, and why three different groups of people want to kidnap him, or in one case, to kill him.

Come on aboard and let us entertain you. Thanks for your support,

XXX,
Connie