There she is! My first (but certainly not my last) real, live published book about sailing.
Available in hard copy on Amazon HERE or Kindle HERE.
I can’t believe it was only two meager years ago, in February of 2013, that I first set foot on a sailboat and headed out for My First Sail. Now, here we are, February, 2015, and not only have Phillip and I found the pretty-much-perfect boat for us, but we sailed it all the way down to the Keys and back. While we have closed the chapter on our first Keys trip, we still have many adventures, boat projects, refits, upgrades and future trips planned to share with you. This blog has served as such a source of inspiration, support and motivation for me. Having followers like you thank me for giving them the opportunity to live vicariously has encouraged me to keep traveling, keep collecting stories and keep pursuing this challenging but rewarding craft of writing.
If you have found yourself, even just once, chuckling to yourself while reading this blog (because, let’s face it, in truth, LOL’ing is really quite rare), I, without any hesitation, guarantee you will enjoy this book. It’s not a shameless plug if it’s an accurate one. While the blog is a great platform for me to recount our numerous tall (and small) tales, it doesn’t allow me to tell you the full story, with all the necessary details and smells (those are important) that will really put you there, on that salty, swaying boat with us. You may recall parts of the main story–our first harrowing passage across the Gulf of Mexico in the boat–but you didn’t get the critical back stories–the tobacco wad and the maxi pad, the piss and the pom-poms, the Malt-o-Meal in New Mexico, not to mention Runt and the sunken truck. My God! You need these to truly understand what it feels like to be out there and what it takes to make a sailor truly “salty.” Many a fine book began as merely a fine blog, so you might have seen this coming. But, I guess you can say, in that regard, that I’ve been sweating and laboring over this for years and I hope it shows. If you’re inclined, don’t wait. Buy it. Read it. If you like it, write a review and tell others whom you think would enjoy it to pick up a copy, too. Know that I’m thrilled you enjoyed it, grateful and humbled by your support and that I’m working hard writing the next one for you.
While I still have the stage (I know, I know – thank your parents, your spouse, the Almighty and get off – I’ll be quick, I promise), a big thanks to fellow Amazon publisher and author of many a-riveting sail tale, Ed Robinson, for giving my book an early review, offering some critical editorial insights and providing an endorsement for the back cover:
“If you’re thinking about buying your first sailboat and making it your own, you need to read this refreshingly honest tale.”
— Ed Robinson, author of Poop, Booze & Bikinis.
I highly recommend Ed’s “Poop” book, along with a roll of toilet paper to dab at the laugh-till-you-cry tears. Much gratitude to loyal follower, Casey, as well for the thorough manuscript scouring and insightful edits. And, finally a heartfelt thanks to Amazon for giving budding little doe-eyed authors like myself the opportunity to self-publish. Anyone can write anything and put it out there for anyone in the world to read. What a fantastic concept.
Without further adieu–imagine this with some great Hollywood score playing in the background and dramatic, captivating sail footage, like a kickass movie trailer …
“Had I ever sailed? No. Did I think that mattered? No. I had endured enough uncomfortable and arguably dire situations that I felt I had whatever grit and guile I needed to handle this silly sailing stuff. I parachuted with a sheet, drove a car that started with a screwdriver, swished with hydrogen peroxide. I rode horses, climbed rocks, leapt off cliffs. I spent summers in the sleeper of a big rig. I ate Malt-o-Meal. Surely these were excellent traits of a sailor. Surely I was salty enough. I fancied I was. Either way, we were going to find out. The time to go was now. All we needed was a boat.”
SALT OF A SAILOR, by Annie Dike
I hope you enjoy it.
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