Ocean

I’ve discovered a new favorite author, and his name is RC Burdick.

The Margaret Ellen is an ocean-drenched mystery, filled with vibrant characters, palpable sea breezes, and spine-tingling suspense. It’s a story that lingers in the reader’s mind for days, conjuring up images of blustery sky and sea, saltwater-dampened hair, and personalities that spring to life from the rapidly turned pages. Like a great film, it’s over far too soon.

Karen “Seaweed” Cobia is in a dilemma. Treading water in unsatisfactory relationships, Seaweed knows something has to change. As the charming, boyish charter boat captain sets out to right the wrongs in her life, she finds herself smack dab in the middle of a juicy murder investigation.

Seaweed and soon-to-be-ex boyfriend, Angus Loman, discover a body bobbing in the surf off Hangman’s Key, an island on the west coast of Florida. Eva Park, local well-known philanthropist, is found face down in the surf with her hands and feet bound and a bullet in her forehead. Because Seaweed was raised by her sea-loving father, owner of Cobia’s Bait, Tackle, and Charter Service, her resultant marine expertise aids in the murder investigation. The crusty local detective, Myers, begrudgingly accepts her assistance. Nicknamed “Grim Lips,” Myers continues to seek out Karen’s help as his regard for her skill intensifies.

As the mystery unfolds, a peculiar woman approaches Seaweed for help, embroiling her more deeply in the intrigue. Seaweed tries to balance the life she craves on the ocean with the promise to help the young woman, but instead is catapulted toward a dangerous liaison with the devious culprit who wants her dead.

Mr. Burdick’s first mystery is a masterpiece - the sense of place is alive and tantalizing; the scenes are vibrant and tangible. I still taste the salt from the onion rings; feel the condensation on the caf

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Haiku is a centuries old Japanese form of poetry that uses just a few words to capture the essence of its subject. Woods, forests, and oceans have been topics traditionally used by haiku poets and for good reason - they are all inspiring natural phenomena.

Seashore haiku combine both the love of the ocean and haiku’s inherent ability to portray nature subjects. For example, take a look at this seashore haiku by the author:

Early fall morning –
Only footprints
On the beach

Notice how the mood or ambiance of this poem is set in the first line. Here we know the time of year it is. We also know the time of day. Now, from this macro viewpoint comes something micro - something in particularthe description of footprints on the beach. Together, this haiku poem creates something called an absolute metaphor. We get a glimpse or feeling for the time of year, then we hone in on something very specific. Read as a complete poem, the mind must make a leap from “fall morning” to “footprints on the beach.”

Haiku accomplishes this brilliantly! And in only a few words. A remarkable match between economy and meaning; just like nature itself!

Here’s another seashore haiku:

Hot June day –
An otter
Slips into the sea

The thing about haiku is that if it’s done right, it’s supposed to put you in a trance state. That is, the “aha” moment or “ah” moment as I like to call it comes from the juxtaposition between line 1 and lines 2 and 3. This is not a koan (a question with no real answer) but a series of images that create a snapshot of a feeling or mood for the reader.

These brief poems are a perfect match for describing a nature scene.

Edward Weiss is a poet, author, and publisher of Wisteria Press. He has been helping students learn how to write haiku for many years and has just released his first book “Seashore Haiku!” Sign up for free daily haiku and get beautiful haiku poems in your inbox each morning! Visit http://www.wisteriapress.com for haiku books, lessons, articles, and more!

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Has a book ever grabbed you long before your hands met the cover, long before your eyes glossed over the jacket copy? Has a book ever compelled you long before you heard the rhythm of its prose, long before its glossy pages slipped between your fingers?

A book did that for me. “Riptide” did that for me.

It was last year. I was in Cape Cod on vacation, enjoying lazy late spring mornings on the sand dunes and afternoons browsing through touristy shops for the best souvenirs. During the course of the day, I chanced upon a pamphlet detailing, among other things, the work of local writers. There, in crisp black and white, was an image of the cover of “Riptide” — a dog standing high atop a grassy dune, head into the wind, hair blown back, overlooking the ocean.

I knew at once that — despite the fact that Riptide is a children’s book and I have no children — I must have this book.

My husband and I hunted high and low for that book, and despite the fact that we tore apart every bookshop on Cape Cod, it was nowhere to be found. And though I enjoyed every moment of my Cape Cod Holiday, I went home empty-handed and ever so slightly disappointed.

Happily though, we live in an age of technology, and weeks later, I came home from work to find a book-sized box waiting for me. And there it was — my much sought-after “Riptide” right on my own front step.

“Riptide” is easily the most beautiful book I’ve ever laid eyes on, both in the way of its prose and its artwork.

Frances Ward Weller writes exquisite prose. Her prose delivers the romance of the shoreline, with words that are certain to enchant adults and a rhythm sure to sooth any child…

They called him Rip. Riptide Windjammer. Not Scout or Pal or any of the plain old names for dogs they knew. Riptide for a current that runs out to sea when sandbars crumble. Windjammer for a ship that runs before the wind.

“Riptide” is illustrated to perfection by Robert J. Blake, an experienced book illustrator for both children and adults. His oil based illustrations capture the essence of the New England seashore. In his paintings, you feel the rush of the wind and the sting of the sea spray. His paintings are full of motion and sunshine. Children will love these paintings, and they would make beautiful framed prints for any aficionado of the seashore.

“Riptide” would make a beautiful coffee table book, as well.

Based on the true story of a dog who loved the sea, “Riptide” is sure to keep any child captivated. It’s a book that an adult would not mind reading again and again to the child in his or her life.

**One word of caution:

“Riptide” may not be suitable for very young children, as several of the closing pages are disturbing, both in content and in illustration.

Lisa is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing

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