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

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!

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#

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

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

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... 

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