Bonk’s Bar, my next novel to be published, is complete. The photo below shows the stack of pages. Doesn’t look like much, but the whole story is there, from start to finish and everything in between. What a relief!
Thanks to my editor, I made some last minute changes that truly improved the story. Happiness is having a good editor who makes you’re writing better, even when you thought you had the story exactly the way you wanted it. This has been a pleasant surprise for me during the completion of Bonk’s Bar, as well as An Island Away. Soon I’ll be working with her on my next novel. I’m looking forward to it.
As you can see, I’ve switched from Coca-Cola Classic to Caffeine Free Coca-Cola Classic. The only reason for this switch is that I can turn down the amperage now that this novel is ready to go. I can cruise a little through the one I’m currently knee-deep in writing. Still, it’s Coca-Cola or water and nothing in between (except Jack Daniels but that serves a separate and distinct purpose).
Enjoy your reading and check back for more updates.
It’s a true pleasure to meet people who have read the book or heard about it and want to know more. I’m surprised at the questions asked, which actually serve as inspiration to keep writing. After all, if a reader wants to know more or found something particularly interesting, it is a cue to include it in the next story.
Of course, hearing people’s stories about Aruba is also fascinating. There are many visitors who have been going to the island for 20 or 30 consecutive years. That’s quite a few frequent flier miles. Aruba is a wonderful island full of nice people, good restaurants, and fringed by beautiful beach. However, I don’t write much about that part of Aruba.
I write mostly about the refinery boomtown of San Nicolaas. It was here that I came in 1994, when I first visited the island. It’s a strange place, full of characters and stories, all of which are incredible when understood in the context of the Caribbean.
And below you’ll see a photo of Mansur’s Papiamento/English dictionary:
Wherever you go, reading the local papers will put you in touch with the sensibility of the citizenry, what’s going on in their world, what they think is important. I find this makes my traveling experience more enriching. Instead of taking in the sights, sampling the food, and heading for home, I’ll take the time to peruse their papers and magazines, try to decipher the letters to the editor, and get a deeper understanding of the culture. It’s a challenge, but one well worth the effort.
The Bent Page 
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