Goodreads asked Mark Marinovich:

Where did you get the idea for your most recent book?

Mark Marinovich I do volunteer work for a nonprofit organization that is concerned with eradicating plastic pollution in the ocean environment. Marine plastic pollution is a horrendous problem, but it doesn't get the press that other, more visible environmental threats receive (e.g., global warming, deforestation, etc.). I wanted to try my hand at a novel for a long time, and it struck me that I could both write my novel and enlighten readers about marine plastic pollution at the same time. Hence, "The White Boats."

I consciously drew ideas and inspiration from Hemingway's "The Old Man and the Sea," Twain's "Tom Sawyer," and Steinbeck's "The Pearl." Unconsciously, I probably summoned memories of a couple favorite whale movies, "The Whale Rider" and "Moby Dick," as well as a myriad of coming-of-age stories about kids who overcome great obstacles, including foolish adults, and achieve great things. Stevenson's "Treasure Island" comes to mind.

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