The Book is Coming Together

I haven't been working on the book every day.  Some days are better than others for me.  But as of now, I've got 14,699 words, or 54 pages worth down on "paper". Only 45,000 words or so more to go.  I thought I'd give you dedicated blog followers a sneak preview of the draft of the introduction:

What you are about to read is true.  Nothing has been exaggerated, or enhanced just to make a good story.  This is a compilation of our almost daily written blog, Drift Away.  After reading this book, if you doubt that this could possibly be true, you can find our blog diary at http://www.trawlerdriftaway.blogspot.com/.  Each entry was usually written the morning after the previous day’s events, and included many photos to document the truth of our story.  Sometimes written very early in the morning.

There are so many people to thank for making our cruise an adventure of a lifetime that we don’t dare list them, for fear of leaving someone out.   You know who you are, and you know how special you are to us.  When designing our little house in the Adirondack Mountains, we included a guest bedroom just for you.  Please make sure you visit if you are able.  You are all welcome.  Yes, this means you.

As of this writing, Drift Away is for sale.  While we kicked around the idea of selling him, now that Dave has had his accident, it’s a definite.  It’s time for the next adventuresome family to enjoy a great boat.  And we fully expect a daily blog, with photos.  Drift Away deserves nothing less.

- Dave and Pam Gibson

Progress On The Book

I've actually started writing the book.  It starts in Bleecker with me laying on the ground, have just been whacked by a tree.  I struggle to get to a chair in the screen house.  My right arm is numb and I can't drive Pam's standard shift car to get out of there.  All I can do is (are you ready for this?) sit there and drink beer, and think back on our wonderful time spent living and cruising on Drift Away.

From that point, it's a compilation of blog articles, although in a different format.  Rather than being a linear diary of the previous day's goings on, it's arranged by subject, such as boat critters, wintering aboard, writing, and so on.

I hope people find it entertaining and somewhat humorous.  Perhaps even a bit educational.

I hope Johnny Depp plays my part in the Drift Away movie.  Pam says that if Johnny Depp plays me, she wants to appear as herself, whatever that means.

After the movie hits, I suppose I'll be inundated with requests for autographs, product endorsements, and TV appearances.

After several days work, I'm up to 6,000 words.  It's not all copy and pasted, but a lot of new material as well.  I'm torn about the boat projects.  I don't want this to be boring for folks who don't do boat projects, or maybe aren't even boaters, but also useful for wannabe loopers and liveaboards.  I guess the book will come together on its own as I progress.

My target is to be 60,000 words or so, so I have a long ways to go.  But then again, what else do I have to do?

Drift Away - the book?

I know many of you probably didn't make the transition from our Drift Away blog to our Bleecker Mountain Life blog.   Many of you are interested in cruising and living aboard stories, not dirt dweller stuff.  That's why I started a different blog when we left Drift Away.

Short story shorter, I had an accident.  I was attacked by a vengeful tree.  It's all in the Revenge of the Trees.  I broke my neck, and I'm lucky to be alive, or not paralyzed.  I have to be in a neck brace for the next couple of months.  No lifting, turning, twisting, or anything much at all.  It's only been a few days, but I'm going nuts already.

We're living in a small rental cabin in Bleecker, New York in the Adirondack Mountains.  We don't have TV and we only get a small handful of awful radio stations.  I could only read so many books.  So what to do with myself?  Someone suggested writing a book.

I've never thought of myself as much of a writer.  What would I write about?  They say you should write about what you know.   I think one should also write about something that would interest others.  Well, I guess that would be cruising on Drift Away with Pam and all our critters.  We've certainly had our share of adventures, like losing both engines off Sandy Hook.

I supposed I'd leave out all the various boat projects I did.  There are enough how-to books out there as it is.  Just stick to our travels, adventures, fun times, and funny times.

Any suggestions out there?