In one of my most glorious moments as a parent, I stuck my kids into a shark cage last month.
It worked. They’ve kept their rooms clean ever since.
Diving with the Sharks
It’s true. We really did it. I went in with them too, and we saw three nine-foot Galapagos sharks. One of the sharks came within a foot of the cage. I could’ve reached out and touched him. He stared right at me with his black little eye. I stared right back.
I wondered who would win in a fight: me or him?
You have to think about these things when you spend a significant amount of time in the ocean.
I Love Sharks. I Just Don’t Want Them To Eat Me.
I know. I know. You’re more likely to be struck by lightning or have a vending machine fall on your head than you are to be eaten by a shark. At least that’s what the statisticians say.
They’re right for the most part.
But in the case here or there where the great white bites your legs off and you never make it back to shore, or the tiger shark eats your arm while you’re surfing, you don’t care about statistics. You care about anecdotal evidence.
You don’t want it to happen to you.
I Can’t Stop Thinking About Them
The dive was so good (the kids loved it and wanted to tell all their friends) I went back two days later to dive without the cage. (I used Hawaii Island View in Haleiwa if you’re looking to try it. I highly recommend it).
I’m “at-risk” for shark attacks. Or you could say I’m practically shark bait, I like going out there into the water so much.
It’s kind of like holding up the lightning rod in a storm, or camping out under the vending machine while you kick it over and over with your foot.
Everyone tells me sharks don’t like the taste of human flesh, so don’t worry, they won’t eat you.
But how do the sharks know until they’ve tried?
Please raise your hand if you’re willing to donate your favorite limb to the Shark Taste Testing Education Foundation that I’m starting.
If only we could get the sharks talking to each other, they could tell each other how gross people taste, then they wouldn’t have to take nibbles out of us anymore.
Problem solved.
It’s all about communication, really.
Stories From Experience
So why am I telling you all this? Because the best stories come from our own personal experiences. They come from our fears. They come from the things we’re obsessed with. They come from the things we love (which for me is sharks).
It’s what makes our stories feel authentic and true.
They say a writer’s first attempt at a book is usually autobiographical. Then the writer learns how to apply that emotion and experience to characters that aren’t themselves.
Many of you shared what you’re writing in the comments on my last email:
Mark is writing about a story in Earth's future.
Christopher is writing about a space archeologist.
Captain Mission is writing a story that crosses all genres.
Ade is writing a tech noir action thriller.
I’d wager that those ideas came from a spark of personal experience you all had.
I wrote a story about my obsession with sharks.
It’s called CHUM. I focused my obsession, plastered it onto the pages, and molded it into a plot. (More on this story in another email)
This is how stories are born.
So here’s what I’m wondering… what drives you? What are you so interested in, you want to write about? And… would you do it? Would you dive with the sharks?
See you in the future.
Adam Sidwell
Creative Director
Future House Publishing & Future House Studios
And Another Thing…
Book Recommendations: We got print copies delivered to the office of The Classmate by Will McIntosh. My daughter is super picky about the books she reads (and she reads a book a week). She picked up The Classmate, started reading, got hooked, then said “Dad, can I take this home?” It’s also gathered a host of 5 star reviews on NetGalley a site for selected reviewers.
Sword of the Week: Gurthang. It’s the sword of the week this week since teaser #2 just dropped for the Amazon Prime series The Rings of Power. :
"The sword Anglachel was forged anew for him by the cunning smiths of Nargothrond, and though ever black its edges shone with pale fire."
Gurthang is from the Silmarillion, one of my favorite books. It reads like the Old Testament.
One of my friends JD Payne was head writer for this new series, so I’ve been tracking its development. That, and because Tolkien is the best.
Here’s the first teaser, so you can get caught up.
Join the conversation: I’m headed to Kidscreen to meet with animation studios and buyers of TV shows. We’re working on somethings at Future House we’re talking about a little here.
Wow, those photos are stunning!!! And that sounds like an amazing trip!!! My sister just moved to Hawaii so I’m hoping to get some ocean time in soon 😍
“They say a writer’s first attempt at a book is usually autobiographical. Then the writer learns how to apply that emotion and experience to characters that aren’t themselves.”
it’s Stanislavsky-an. i went to a talk with Garth Risk Hallberg where he said something to the same effect.