My Writing Process

I’m always curious how writers come up with their stories. If you share that interest, here is the back story of Uncharted. 

I based much of the novel on personal experiences gathered sailing the Bahamas over the past forty years. This is, however, a work of fiction so, if you cruise these islands, don’t look on your charts for all the cays and islands mentioned here. However, many persons and places are real, and when they fit the story, I included authentic details which sailors and Bahamians will recognize. I have been to all of the well-known places, Nassau, Georgetown, and Sampson Cay as well as some lesser known ones, including Norman’s Cay and South Andros. Along the way, I heard firsthand stories from many Bahamians and kept them in my sailing journal. I interviewed and corresponded with George Jung, Carlos Lehder’s partner in crime, while he was incarcerated, and gained his perspective of the Medellin cartel years.

In addition to imagination, authenticity requires a great deal of research. That list is extensive, but I want to mention a few titles that stand out with their varying interpretations of Bahamian history and culture and make for entertaining reading: History of Bimini, by Ashley B. Saunders, Turning the Tide: One Man Against the Medellin Cartel, by Sidney D. Kirkpatrick, Blow, by Bruce Porter, Pindling: The Life and Times of the First Prime Minister of the Bahamas, by Michael Craton, The Tales of Andros, An Island in the Sun, by Diann Hanna-Wilson and Folk Tales of Andros Island, Bahamas, by Elsie Worthington Clews Parsons. I borrowed ideas from all of these perspectives, and leave it to you to decide how much is true.