A walk on the mild side

Each of us who writes for a vocation or an avocation has found a way to trigger ideas. Every morning, I have been taking a long walk along one of the many beaches that lines the shores of the Mona Passage. As I walk, I look for sea glass and skipping stones (holdovers from my childhood in New London CT). The walking itself provides a wonderful opportunity to shed the skin of everyday realities. Normally, what results is a trip through the world of my fictional character, Kary Turnell.  Soon, I’m immersed in Kary’s latest crime scenario. Problems to solve or inconsistencies in a story seem to magically resolve themselves in my mind, as the warm, turbid, tropical waters lap against my feet. I feel truly fortunate to be able to escape winter’s ravages, and February golf is a treat; but, being able to surmount the sticking point in a story is the true bonus of this experience. Now, if I can just keep myself focused on the New Hampshire-based mystery my publisher has requested . . . somehow, palm trees and pelicans keep interfering with the reception.