Sunday, April 24, 2011

So long PT...

Rogues Blog #16:
Well, it's hard to believe my 6 month stay in lovely Port Townsend is winding down... this time next weekend I'll be on the road heading south for home and Playa del Rey. So this will be my final blog, at least from here. It's been a marvelous journey. I've made significant progress on the book and "Rogues" would certainly not be "Rogues" had I not immersed myself in the region and its people, both of whom will remain with me for a long, long time. I've tried to keep these blogs short and hopefully those of you who have read some or all of them have found something of interest. I've mentioned a number of people who have been invaluable in this writing adventure and wanted to focus on a few more in the PT finale - so bear with me, this blog is somewhat longer than the others.

First, the team at Orca Network - a marvelous organization based on nearby Whidbey Island involved in the health and well-being of large mammals, including orcas of course. Howard Garrett, his wife, Susan, and Marty Crowley have all agreed to provide their advice and expertise to ensure I incorporate the best of the best on orcas (and get it right!). They welcomed me into the fold with open arms and their input is invaluable.

Second, Anna and Peter Quinn are the proprietors of one of the coolest businesses around, The Writers' Workshoppe in PT. Really good folks - smart, talented, and fun. I took a 7-week "finish that novel" workshop with Anna and five other writers that was extremely helpful. If you, or someone you know, is into writing or wants  to be a writer, check out their website - http://www.writersworkshoppe.com/home - lots of cool stuff there.

And finally, I want to thank David and Jane Lambkin for their support, help, and most of all their friendship. David is a former LAPD homicide detective who started the department's cold case unit. Jane worked in the records department at LAPD. They've been married for more than three decades so clearly not all cops land in divorce court. David has been advising me on the investigation aspects of the story (the murder of marine biologist Katrina Kincaid) and we have hung out together on many occasions. He also hooked me up with Cloyd Steiger, a homicide cop with Seattle PD (and real character) who has agreed to let me use his name in the book. The Lambkin's rock! (So does their twisted sense of humor).

Okay, that's it for now... the plan is to wrap the book early this summer and fire it off my literary agent in NYC. Thanks for checking out the blog and look for "Rogues" in a bookstore and/or online one of these days soon. And remember the mighty orcas: "They Roam the Seas in Freedom, With No Enemy Save Man."
Best,
- bill



Susan, Howard, Marty in Langley


Peter & Anna Quinn in PT








Jane & David Lambkin at Manresa Castle
Sunset over Port Townsend

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Getting it right...

Rogues Blog #15:
I've met several interesting folks during my writing adventure here in Port Townsend, many of whom have been featured in the blog. Wanted to introduce two more individuals who've been extremely helpful in keeping me from making some major factual blunders. One is Linda Silva with the Juaneno Band of Mission Indians who has provided excellent input on two compelling "Rogues" characters, the Old One and Houdini. They are part of the Makah Tribe at Neah Bay and have a special connection with the giant orcas. Linda is an author who also does wonderful Native American artwork. Here's a link to her website:
www.mamabearbabybear.com 


The other expert is Karen Sullivan, a marine biologist, and world adventurer. Karen has been invaluable in the technical aspects of Katrina Kincaid's ("Rogues" marine biologist) involvement with Samson the sick whale at "Kingdom of the Sea" theme park. Karen has some wonderful stories about her work in Alaska with the Fish & Wildlife Service. She holds a 100 ton Captain's license (a big deal in the boating world) and is leaving in July to sail around the world. My thanks to both of these smart, talented Northwesterners for their help and friendship.


Linda Silva


Karen Sullivan
Sculpture that inspired the idea of Jet Black Orcas - 100 tons!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Keep Your Distance...

Rogues Blog #14:
NOAA Fisheries announced yesterday (9 April) that whale-watchers and other boaters will have to stay twice as far away from killer whales in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, 200 yards vs. the current approach distance of 100 yards. This is a good thing: orcas depend on natural sonar to navigate and find food and their hearing is exceptional, even non-motorized boats that approach too close can disturb killers. But noise is only one major threat affecting orcas, the others being water pollution and a shortage of its preferred prey, Chinook salmon (affects only resident killers since the much more mysterious transients eat mammals). Click on link below for dramatic footage of transient snagging a sea lion right off the beach. Now imagine this fierce predator is not five tons, but 20x that big as the rogue killers in "Rogues." Keep a safe distance? I think so!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8446762105999535185#

Sunday, April 3, 2011

The King of Seattle TV...

Blog Lucky #13:
Writing on my birthday this day, no not 39, 40!... about Seattle's No.1 rated TV station - King 5 TV - and fictional home to Jia-li Han, the intrepid anchor/reporter who is saved from certain death by the colossal 100-ton killer whales in "Rogues" and breaks the story. My request for a tour and permission to use the call letters went right to the top, but was eventually approved (thanks to Betsy Robertson and Denise Guerrero). Roving reporter Gary Chittim also agreed to provide expert "whale" advice, he's reported extensively on orcas and has done a documentary on these remarkable creatures. Nice to be able to add the authentic touch to the novel since a few different scenes take place within the King 5 walls. The book is coming along nicely with one more month left on my stay here in Port Townsend (time does indeed fly!). Once a solid first draft is done it goes to my agent's editor... then changes... and, fingers crossed, a publishing deal. But lots of work yet ahead to reach that point...
Assignment Editor Denise Guerrero

Reporter Gary Chittim

The ratings are sure to drop with this dude in the anchor chair

Sunday, March 27, 2011

A Cop even Hollywood couldn't invent...

Rogues Blog #12:
Meet Cloyd Steiger - Homicide Detective with Seattle PD, a 31-year vet of the department and former "SWAT Dog" who rides a big Harley Hog (for leisure) and packs a Glock Model 22 that fires a .40 caliber round. He spent 2-1/2 hours with me on Friday! What a character! Put a white beard and red suit on him and he could be Santa Claus, with a laugh as big as Puget Sound and stories to match. Here's one: he arrested a bad guy suspected of shooting his neighbor in the head. The goof denied it, of course, but as Detective Steiger checked out his car he found a chunk of the victim's brain on the back seat. "Lucy," he said to the bad guy, "You've got some 'splainin' to do." Cloyd and his fellow detectives celebrate each collar with a round of Eagles Rare Single Barrel Kentucky Whiskey, what they call the "Bourbon of Proof." Cloyd's job, as he describes it, "is selling time shares at Walla Walla" (and other WA prisons), which means "getting somebody to tell me something he doesn't want to tell me voluntarily." He's one of the best in the business and will play a central role in the wild, climactic shootout at North Beach in "Rogues."
Detective Cloyd Steiger

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Ruffles RIP... and I AM...

Rogues Blog #11:
Beginning in 1970 the pioneer in orca research, the late Dr. Michael Bigg, began what would become by far the most important tool in field research on killer whales - photographic identification of individuals. He named the "stable" groups, known as pods, residents... and those "ratty little groups" (as Bigg called them) "transiting" the area as transients. The former eat fish, the latter eat mammals.

Last week Ruffles - the whale believed believed to be the oldest male orca among the resident J, K, and L pods (Puget Bay and surrounding area) - went missing and is believed dead. Researchers believe he was about sixty years old. A sad day! Here's a link to a video of Ruffles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJHA79h__QM

No estimate of his size was given, though most males are in the 4-6 ton range. The rogue killer whales in "Rogues" are 20x that size... and they're coming your way!

On a separate note... if you haven't seen the documentary "I AM" I highly recommend it... incredible film. Here's a link: http://iamthedoc.com/

Until next week... 

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Rocks of Ages...

Rogues Blog #10:
The photo below doesn't do justice to literally thousands of works of art (in my opinion) which wash up every day on the shores of the Salish Sea (Strait of Juan de Fuca) - rocks of all shapes and sizes with marvelous colors, texture, and character. Running to nearby North Beach several times each week, I have accumulated  quite a collection for my writing retreat in Port Townsend (who says it never snows here?). North Beach, by the way, is the setting for the chaotic finale to "Rogues."



North Beach - Port Townsend

Sunday, March 6, 2011

How Do You Capture A 6-Ton Killer Whale...

Rogues Blog #9:
... well, legally you don't. And that's a good thing! But in "Rogues" a conniving, "greed-is-good" billionaire (Mitchell Chandler) blackmails a feisty commercial fisherman (Zora Flame) to do just that. And what kind of vessel does it take? I found precisely the boat for the job at Platypus Marine in Port Angeles, a 45-minute drive west of Port Townsend. She's a 58' Delta seiner which boat guru - and columnist for "Peninsula Daily News" - David Sellars explained might be the toughest boat on the water. "Bullet proof" he called her. David has been extremely helpful in explaining to this landlubber the ins and outs of boating. That's him in the picture with Platypus's Dan O'Keefe during a tour they gave me of the facility. Impressive place! The middle pic is of the big seiner (rigged with seine nets, thus the name), and as you can see they are like icebergs: a lot more below surface than above. So Zora leases a seiner like the one below and the adventure begins. The other vessel pictured was once owned by a struggling entrepreneur named Aristotle Onassis. Zora/Zorba? Hmmm...
Dan O'Keefe and David Sellars


Northwind

58' Delta seiner

Sunday, February 27, 2011

The Shed Boys...

Rogues Blog #8:
The story is told of a group of slow-talking singer-songwriters who drifted into Port Townsend awhile back from parts unknown (west Texas some say). These good ole boys were full of piss and vinegar and when they weren't jammin' on street corners for nickels and dimes they were out courting rich, lonely old widows. A few of the wealthier ladies opened their homes, their bedrooms, and eventually their bank books to these crooning rascals. They became known as "The Shed Boys"... and legend has it they're still around, perhaps hanging out at the Better Living Through Coffee Coffeehouse like the group of pickers pictured below. In "Rogues" one of these rapscallions - wearing his "Love A Curmudgeon" t-shirt - has his world rocked when the heroes of the book (five, 100-ton killer whales) make an appearance in Port Townsend Bay (fifty feet from the window). And the Best Picture Oscar goes to... "The King's Speech."

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Memory's Vault...

Rogues Blog #7:
Fort Worden State Park is 443-acres of fir trees, winding trails, and long abandoned concrete artillery batteries with spectacular views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Named after Admiral John L. Worden, Commander of the Monitor in its Civil War battle against the Merrimac, the former Army post is now a popular recreation, artistic, and educational retreat. One section of the park - Memory's Vault - features poems by Sam Hamill... moving tributes to nature and the beautiful surroundings. My favorite is below. Alas it was the last poem Marine Biologist Katrina Kincaid would read in "Rogues."
"Black March Eclogue"
Although it is midsummer,
the great blue heron
holds the darkest winter in its hunched shoulders,
those blue-turning-gray clouds
rising over him
like a storm from the Pacific.

He stands alone in the black marsh
more monument than bird.
He watches the heart of things
and does not move or speak.

But when at last he flies,
his great wings cover the darkening sky,
and slowly,
as though praying,
he lifts

almost motionless
as he pushes the world away.
View of Mt. Baker from Fort Worden
More Hamill at Memory's Vault

Sunday, February 13, 2011

A Killer Called Hope...

Rogues Blog #6:

In 2002, the body of a female orca was found stranded on the North Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. Just offshore, a healthy, young male hovered close by, refusing gentle attempts to guide him into safer deep water. Although the male was saved, it was soon discovered that the female's body carried one of the highest loads of toxic chemicals ever tested, far outside the usual levels found. These were PCBs (lab created chemicals) and DDTs (first developed as pesticides). 

The full skeleton of this magnificent 22 foot, 8,200 pound killer whale was dug up from a farmer's field recently and is currently being assembled at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center (where "Rogues" marine biologist Katrina Kincaid works), including 159 bones and the upper and lower jaws containing 22 and 24 conical teeth respectively. Students named her Hope. She is one of only five orca skeletons on display in the U.S. See pics below. Unfortunately, these high levels of pollution are happening in oceans around the world. 
The Killer Whale Called Hope

Hope's body loaded on flatbed
Learn... get involved in saving the oceans!
Hope's lower jaw

Sunday, February 6, 2011

A Proud and Ancient People...

Rogues Blog #5:
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting several members of the Makah Tribe in Neah Bay, WA. The small fishing town sits on the western edge of the Olympic Peninsula bordered by the magnificent Strait of Juan de Fuca and the vast Pacific Ocean. Two characters in the book - Houdini and his sage The Old One - are Makah so it was great to see the village first hand and visit the Makah Museum, where elders June Williams and Kirk Wachendorf generously gave me a private tour. It's a fascinating culture!

This is a proud people who have lived on this land for 4,500 years, yet like all other Native peoples their lives were thrown into chaos by white settlers and the U.S. government. They have never recovered from that travesty. If you're interested in a fascinating learning experience, here's a link to the Makah website: http://www.makah.com/history.html

One interesting sidebar: I met a Makah fisherman, Dan Greene (in red below), who introduced me to his son (the little guy) and two crew members, all named Dan. Why? When they were given Anglo names it's the one they all liked the best. Go figure! Go Packers!

Four Guys Named Dan

Skeleton of 30 ton gray whale in Museum

June and Kirk

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Murder In A Small Town Part II

Rogues Blog #4:

There's been a murder in Port Townsend - a marine biologist who knew too much. Her body was found at the base of a steep bluff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca and transported to Kosec Funeral Home (there's no morgue) by Deputy Coroner Real Robles (who is also the Funeral Director) as authorized by Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans (who is also the Coroner). Meanwhile, the autopsy was performed by a pathologist and his wife (from out of town) who arrived with five black trunks (the instruments of death). Shades of Stephen King anyone?

Now Real Robles is an interesting guy (and very helpful in researching all this murder stuff). He knew what he wanted to be from the age of six which, for most young boys then was a fireman, or astronaut, or major league baseball player. Not Real! He wanted to be a Mortician. Go figure! "Why?" I asked? "I just did," he said. He watched a lot of "Quincy ME" growing up. Anyway... Real told me an interesting factoid that will make you smarter than your friends: the percentage of bodies cremated in Port Townsend is 88% vs. a U.S. average of about 33%. The reasons you ask? A highly educated population (which tend to favor cremation) plus many folks have relocated here (thus their families/histories are somewhere else). And if you're curious about the crematorium? It's in the garage out back... that's it below.

Coming up... the Makah Tribe and their unique history with whales... Go Packers!


Real Robles - Funeral Director
Crematorium
Scott Rosekrans - Pros Attny

Sunday, January 23, 2011

The Whale Called Killer...


Rogues Blog #3:
Many consider the great white shark to be the ocean's top predator... not even close. In a showdown with a killer whale it's not a fight it's an execution. In fact Orcinus orca (6 tons) will often dine on gray whales (30-40 tons), attacking in packs. It's why killers are often referred to as "wolves of the sea." These are Transient killers (mammal eaters) vs. Resident killers (fish eaters). Transients and Residents look very much alike and sometimes share the same waters, though they never mingle or mate, a unique phenomenon among known species of animals.

The rogue killer whales in "Rogues," however, happen to be slightly larger than 6 tons. In fact, they are 120 feet long and weigh 100 tons! Impossible? Not exactly. Scientists are quick to point out that only about 1% of the deep seas have ever been explored. We know much more about far off galaxies than we do about the oceans. Bottom line: they're not sure what is down there. So check out the gray on the left... killer on the right. Grays beware! Packers too! Go Bears!

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Murder In A Small Town...

Rogues Blog#2:



A body is found at the bottom of a 100' bluff at Fort Worden State Park and the Port Townsend Police have a murder on their hands (a key development in the story). So what happens next? Would a team of detectives, CSI unit, and coroner converge on the scene like they do on TV? In researching that question I met with Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans and the answer is... not exactly.

I can't reveal what actually does happen, of course (rather fascinating developments that come out in the book), but Scott was very gracious (he has agreed to the use of his real name) and invited me up to the clock tower above his office in the historic old Court House (opened in 1893). Quite a treat since few people in PT have ever been up there. No wonder this Prosecuting Attorney refers to himself as "Quasimodo!"

Stay tuned... in Blog #3 you'll meet another "real character," former LAPD homicide detective (and now PT resident) David Lambkin.


Saturday, January 8, 2011

Rogues: 100 TONS OF PURE MENACE...

Blog #1:
Dear Friends - Happy New Year! As many of you know I am renting a home in Port Townsend, WA through April to complete work on a novel that takes place in and around this area. I've been here since 1 November and have connected with some interesting folks, many of whom you'll meet in the weeks and months ahead if you have the time/interest to follow the "Rogues" Blog. Those characters include Prosecuting Attorney Scott Rosekrans (he is also the Coroner) and two elders from the Makah Tribe on the Olympic Peninsula (their people have lived on that land for 4,500 years). 

Anyway... this is Blog 1 and includes a 1 pp. Synopsis of the book, below (future Blogs will be shorter, I promise). If you like what you read, you might want to stay tuned... for murder, mayhem, a creature without equal, and plenty of small town quirkiness (The motto of Port Townsend: "We're all here because we're not all here!). Until next time...
Best,
- bill

Ps: To follow Blog click "Follower" button on top right... to "Post a Comment" you'll need to establish a Google account (quick and easy to do!) or post on my Facebook page :)
ROGUES
A Novel
by
William Neal

SYNOPSIS
They roam the seas in freedom. With no enemies save man.

IN PUGET SOUND. They are out there in the water… listening, stalking. For millennia these colossal creatures have roamed undetected in the polar abyss, the stuff of myth and legend. Now, forced from the only home they have ever known by an ecological meltdown, they are on the move. The countdown to carnage has begun!   

IN CHICAGO. A different kind of predator is on the loose. Homicide detective Abby Kendall investigates a brutal mass murder even as she struggles with her own demons. After exposing a cabal of dirty cops, Abby has become a pariah at the local precinct. Meanwhile, she is being pursued by a fiendish serial killer bent on revenge.

IN SEATTLE. Renowned marine biologist Katrina Kincaid delivers devastating news to the GM at Kingdom of The Sea Oceanarium. Samson, the magnificent orca that drives the park’s obscene profits, is dying. Animal rights activists threaten to shut down all 15 theme parks owned by Chandler Global Enterprises (CGE), a crippling financial blow.

IN SAN FRANCISCO. CGE Chairman Mitchell Chandler, a.k.a. the “one-eyed dragon,” cooks up a diabolical scheme to derail the activists drawing on the ancient teachings of an infamous Chinese warrior. Chandler’s sidekick: the beautiful Savanna Sokolov. Savannah is not only charming and brilliant she is also the world’s most daring art thief.

IN THE BERING SEA. Captain Zora Flame, at the helm of a 68 foot crabber, completes a harrowing maneuver in angry, 90 foot seas that sends shivers up the spines of even the most seasoned mariners. Her daring exploits turn her into a media darling: part Greek goddess, part punk rocker. Thelma and Louise rolled into one!

THE EVENTS THAT FOLLOW take readers into a world of razor-edge suspense and international intrigue, a story as timely as today’s ecological challenges and as timeless as the mighty creatures themselves. Rogues is an explosive thriller that shatters the mold, blurring the line between right and wrong, good and evil, justice and revenge – while seamlessly weaving together a cast of unforgettable characters, including a Leviathan infinitely more terrifying than Moby Dick or the marauding shark known as Jaws.