The Ocean Calls
(sometimes it screams, but mostly it's cool with me)
Fun story: First time I decided I would swim in the ocean, it was not the brightest idea nor was it the best spot to do so. The North Shore on Oahu - one of the islands of Hawai’i, is pretty famous for surfing. One can swim there of course, and I saw a lot of people there doing just that.
I was standing on the shore contemplating where to enter when the ocean decided it for me. (Fun fact - I’m a decent swimmer, and have trained in SCUBA, so I knew I was in a riptide when it happened.) A riptide appeared out of nowhere - as I had never seen one form before, it caught me by sheer surprise. However, training kicked in. In SCUBA, you’re taught to use the current to your advantage and not fight it.
So I didn’t.
I cartwheeled under water, rationing my air, praying that whatever underwater god was fucking with me would decide to let me go.
When I finally was close enough to the surface to swim for it, I was at least fifty yards out from the shore. FIFTY. Maybe more. It was a hell of a distance and I was shocked how far out the riptide had taken me. I was also grateful to be alive too.
Riptides kill surfers and swimmers alike, every year, mostly because people forget to not fight the current unless they’ve swam in the ocean for a long time.
Training saved my ass. But it didn’t prepare me for how to get back to shore. There was no boat to float my ass back to and climb on.
So, I watched others, body surf, boogie board, and a few surfers waiting for them to show me how it worked. They eventually did, riding the waves right up onto shore.
I knew I could do that, I just need to wait for a big enough wave, right? So I tread water, got hammered a time or two by smaller waves, and then picked one that looked big enough and swam to try and get on top of it.
It took three tries. Two of the waves weren’t enough to let me clear the water completely and stay on shore. I was dragged back out as if a sea monster had grabbed my legs and decided “not today!”
The difference between the waves and the riptide where only in the fact that I was allowed to stay close to the surface as the waves pulled me back out.
Third time was a charm, and I made it to shore and scrambled as fast as I could to break free from the wave’s grasp.
I sat on the high bank, watching the wave recede and knew how close I had been to drowning that day. Even being a good swimmer, even having training, sometimes does not prepare you for an ocean that gives no fucks.
Then I looked down and realized I had enough sand in my swimming suit (because it was a one-piece) to make it look like I was very pregnant. I broke down in hysterical laughter as I scooped handfuls of sand out of my suit. It took another two hours in an outdoor shower to clean off the rest.
Why did I tell this small tale of a near death experience? If you’ve read Prince’s Tide, my merfolk book, you might draw some parallels to Royce’s experience and my own. A lot of my real-life experiences went into writing many of my books. As writer’s often borrow from life. Many of Royce and Troller’s experiences are mirrors of my own, from being on boats of all shapes and sizes. Being in bodies of water, both big and small. In addition to SCUBA and my many years invested in learning biology and volunteering for the National Biological Survey.
One review I read of Prince’s Tide, mentioned that the underwater scenes were “alien” and wondered why I would write about how merfolk would float while sleeping.
Well, without writing another 5000 words, it’s because of the biology of most mammals and fish. They float. That mechanic is a big part of why I wrote major parts of the story underwater. Not only did I want to explore the ‘fish out of water’ trope, I wanted to reverse it.
Little Mermaid always pissed me off. Why does the merfolk always have to give up their magical life? A lot of stories about water creatures and humans are usually written so that the water folk ends up giving up their life under water either part of the time or completely. Frankly that sucks.
People ask about which super power or mutant ability you’d wish for—given any choice, it’s always gills. Always.
TL;DR: August Newsletter #1.5
Mel’s Fun Facts and Stories (above) w/poll
Giveaways & Sales
Giveaways & Sales
Due to some promotional stuff I’m doing, I’m making both Prince’s Tide and Rare Temptations 0.99 USD across all platforms! You can check out your favorite platform via the blue buttons (or the first buttons) on my links page!
Next up - Queer Your Bookshelf! Over 400 books for sale between 1.99 and 0.99 USD. Snap them up while you can. Sale is ongoing until the end of August 16th!
Ongoing Giveaways
Very haunting story and I'm so grateful you're here to tell it. Good word to the wise: don't fight the current, use it to your advantage.