Of Oceans, Waves and the Sea

I grew up in Newburyport, Massachusetts, so for my whole life growing up, I lived very close to the sea. I lived in Portland, ME for five years and had, albeit small and across a parking lot, a view of Casco Bay and the open ocean beyond. I also lived on Rota Island, in the Northern Mariana Island chain, and was able to snorkel and/or dive nearly every day (I even taught Marine Biology, so I had the opportunity to go snorkeling and get paid, heaven!) I've always had a special affinity for the water, probably stemming from being thrown in my grandparents pool when I was two years old, and finding to my, and my parents', delight, that I floated. The short story I'm working on now, 'Fishwife' explores the link that some people have with the ocean, no matter how attenuated, and how this link might allow someone to bring themselves out of misery.



I now live inland in Greenville, SC, and have done so for the last 2.5 years. I have a dull ache in my chest that represents my hunger to reconnect with the ocean.