We released A Torn Sail - A Connie Barrera Thriller on April 2, 2018.

The ninth Connie Barrera Thriller is out! To get your copy, CLICK HERE.

Here’s what Connie has to say about it:

I had been cross and out of sorts with Paul for the last week, trying to decide how to tell him something that was going to upset our idyllic life aboard Diamantista II. We had guests aboard, so I couldn’t be open with him. Besides, I wasn’t sure what to tell him.

The day our guests left, two jerks kidnapped me before I could sort out my feelings and talk with Paul. I overheard enough of their conversation to decide that they were working for someone who wanted revenge, but I couldn’t figure out which of my enemies sent them.

I knew Paul would come to my rescue, but I wasn’t sure if he’d be fast enough. I did my best to survive on my own. I didn’t rule out escape, either, but it wasn’t going to be easy.

Aside from fending for myself, I was overcome by guilt for having failed to confide in Paul when I should have. I felt like I’d betrayed him on several levels. He’s not just my husband and my business partner; he’s my best friend.

I didn’t discover how wrong I had been about everything — my personal problem, the kidnappers, just everything — until Paul showed up with our friends to rescue me.

"What's that, Dani? Why are you screaming at me?"

I need to go. Dani Berger is having a fit, because she just realized she and Liz missed their last turn at Bud's blog. They forgot to announce their last adventure, Bluewater Quest. They were too distracted by fishing with Bud’s granddaughter when the book was released. Now they’ll have to wait their turn to announce their next book, but it shouldn’t be too long. Dani and Liz are up to something already.

Meanwhile, I hope you’ll join me and Paul for A Torn Sail. We’d love to entertain you with our latest adventure.

xxxx,
Connie

There's a new Connie Barrera Thriller! An Easy Sail is available for pre-order.

Here's Connie to tell you about it.

Paul and I survived another unplanned encounter with a drug dealer in An Easy Sail. The villain was the same loser who stole Vengeance in Dani and Liz's last tale, Bluewater Enigma. I don't want to spoil the surprises in An Easy Sail, so I won't say more on that topic.

As I write this post, the northern Leeward Islands are cleaning up after Hurricane Irma. The opening scenes of An Easy Sail find Paul and me at Jolly Harbour, Antigua, just days before the storm.

We were there to pick up a new charter guest. On her first day aboard, we sailed around the southwest corner of the island to visit English Harbour. We didn't linger there, thank goodness. We were fortunate enough to be well south of the area by the time Irma struck.

All of us from my books and the Bluewater Thrillers are safe. We're wondering about our friends who live ashore, though. Besides Antigua and Barbuda, two of our other hangouts, St. Martin and St. Barth, were devastated. The U.S. and British Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico were hit hard, too. We wish them all the best in their recovery work, and we're looking forward to visiting them again soon.

"Stop it, Dani! Liz, do something with her, will you?"

Dani's trying to get her hands on the keyboard. I told her that this is my post. She can write one of her own to tell you about their next adventure, or to complain about whatever's bothering her.

She's still upset that Bud is working on that new series. She's arguing that he should write the next Bluewater Thriller first, but I think there's more to her anger -- something to do with An Easy Sail. It's probably best if we keep her off the computer until she cools down.

Dani and Liz are here with us in Fort-de-France, Martinique. We're all visiting with Phillip and Sandrine, rehashing what happened to my "easy" sail. Paul and I would enjoy sharing the details with you. Pick up a copy of An Easy Sail and join us.

xxxx,
Connie

There's a new Bluewater Thriller! Bluewater Enigma is available for preorder.

Hello. It's Liz at the keyboard.

Dani and I wanted to let everybody know that Bud survived writing Bluewater Enigma.

There was a period when I thought Dani might do him in, but we got past that. When he let those people steal Vengeance, it was all I could do to hold her back. I only succeeded by reminding her that it was early in the story. I convinced her to wait and see how it ended before she did anything rash.

Fortunately for Bud, the story ended well for us, so Dani grudgingly agreed to let him write another book. She's on the phone with Connie right now, warning her about what he's up to.

Poor guy doesn't stand a chance, caught between the two of them. When Connie finds out he's thinking about a third series that doesn't include any of us, I'm not sure how she'll react.

She and Dani think that he should only be allowed to write about them. He has his own ideas about that, though. He's already started Connie's next story, but he's working on another book at the same time. I'm doing my best to persuade Dani to let Connie deal with that. We've got enough to do without getting caught between Connie and Bud.

Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy Bluewater Enigma. Get yourself a copy and let us know what you think. Click on the cover image for more information.

Thanks for reading about us!
xxxx,
Liz

It was a setup!

COMING SOON!

I am so angry with Bud that I'd like to --.
Okay, okay, Liz! Stop kicking me. Liz is engaging in her favorite form of non-verbal communication. I'll tone it down, okay? Liz is nodding, but she's got this skeptical look on her face.

She's partly to blame for this, but I'll let that go, for now. It all started when Bud encouraged us to take a break after that big party in Miami. You read Bluewater Revolution, so you know about that.

Liz and I thought he just wanted us out of the way so Connie and Paul would have some time with him to work through their latest story. We were okay with that. They're friends; we taught her to sail. What's that, Liz? Oh, right. She' s reminding me that we introduced Connie and Paul to each other.

Anyway, we played along with Bud. Liz and I went to New York for a couple of weeks. For some reason, she wanted to meet my mother. That was interesting, but I don't want to get sidetracked. Bud is a big enough source of aggravation without adding my mother to the mix.

While we were gone, Bud let some lowlifes steal Vengeance. Liz and I came back to Miami to find an empty slip. Bud's working with us on that, but he's got something else going on, too. He's trying to hide it, but he should know better.

Let me explain, for those who might not know about writers. They're odd people. They have a bunch of characters living in their heads, like me and Liz, for example. There's nothing he can do about it. We're just there, wandering around in his mind. He tries to shut us out by going to sleep sometimes. And sometimes, we let him sleep. But we're still in there, looking around.

That's how we found out about this man who's living in Puerto Rico on a beat-up little boat called Island Girl. We aren't sure what he's up to, but he's convinced Bud to write a book about it.

And last night, I discovered it's not just one book. He wants a whole series! So far, he's not even planning to let us play in his story, either. We'll see about that, if we even let Bud do this.

Okay, Liz, stop it!

She's kicking me again. I know we can't stop him. Bud, that is. But we can drive him crazy. Or at least crazier than he already is.

Liz is arguing that we should leave Bud alone as long as he's helping us get Vengeance back. I hate it when she and Bud gang up on me.

At least he's promised us that he'll see us through our latest adventure before he lets this upstart on Island Girl take the stage.

We're calling our new book Bluewater Enigma. It should be finished by the summer, unless Bud crosses me. In that case, Bud may be finished by summer.

Stop it, Liz! That's your last free kick. Bud knows I'm not serious, and so do you.

Before I get back to work, let me just say thanks to all of you for keeping us afloat. Liz and I appreciate it. Bud does, too.

XXXX,
Dani
P.S. What do you readers think? Should we let him start another series? He pays more attention to you than he does to us. Tell him how you feel about it.

Under Full Sail - A Connie Barrera Thriller is available

Bud finally has my latest book, Under Full Sail, available for preorder in the Kindle Store. You can click on the cover image to the left for details or to reserve your copy.

Paul and I were getting a little irritated with him. He wasn't writing fast enough to keep up with us, and he kept leaving us in tense situations while he was playing with those grandchildren.

Not that I blame him; they're great fun. That 11-year-old girl keeps taking him fishing when we want him to be writing, and there's a new one, too, another grandson. He joined the crowd just before the holidays. He's a handsome little rascal, and he's already spoiled by his four older sisters, not to mention the rest of us. Anyhow, we survived the disruptions and Bud got our story written.

Paul and I thought we were going to get a little time to ourselves on our way back to the islands after that big party in Miami. It was a blast to have the whole crowd together, but if you've read Bluewater Revolution, you know that already.

Bud had other plans for us. We had an easy passage from Miami to the Virgins, and we spent a few days there to rest and restock the pantry. We had a little over two weeks before our next charter guests were due in Grenada, so we decided to stop at Isla de Aves. It's one of those out-of-the-way spots that seems like a perfect escape.

Isla de Aves is technically part of Venezuela, but it's far closer to Dominica and Guadeloupe. It's tiny -- think square yards, not square miles -- and uninhabited except for two colonies of terns and the sea turtles that lay their eggs there.

We'd no sooner set foot ashore than we encountered a man who was stranded there. He was in bad shape physically, and he had no idea who he was or how he got there. We couldn't just leave him there to die, so we decided to take him to Dominica and get some help for him. So much for our vacation.

And that's where our latest tale begins. Order a copy of Under Full Sail and join Paul and me as we discover who the castaway is, and why three different groups of people want to kidnap him, or in one case, to kill him.

Come on aboard and let us entertain you. Thanks for your support,

XXX,
Connie

Bluewater Revolution is Finished! Read all about it!

It's Dani Berger; I got a shot at the keyboard while Bud was napping. I wanted to let you know about my latest adventure. I won't spoil the story; you can order a copy for yourself in the Kindle Store. I do want to add a few things, though.

Liz was right in her last post when she said that the man I was mixed up with smelled fishy. Too bad; he was a handsome devil. But he's history. I taught him a thing or two on his way out of my life, but I don't know if he took the lessons to heart.

Probably not, given that he was a jerk. Now that it's over, I can see that it may not have been all his fault. His role in the story was to be a jerk, but that's no excuse. He was type-cast.

Enough about my romantic misadventures; the important thing is the broader story, and it turned out well. I had all kinds of fun. I got kidnapped, I escaped, I blew up a boat.

Besides that, all my friends were gathered in Miami. It was great to have everybody in the same place -- one long party. And we got into a few good fights, to boot. What more could a girl want? A little time in the Everglades, to commune with the alligators, maybe?

Even though I had a great time, Bud's a little frazzled. We'd almost wrapped up the story when Fidel Castro died. Even though Fidel didn't have an active part, he and his brother were critical to the background. Poor Bud had to do a crash rewrite, but that's okay. It's what you pay him for, and it was worse for Fidel, I'm sure.

Interestingly, it's the second time Fidel disrupted Bud's plans. The first time was long ago, on an island not so far away. Bud's father spent a lot of time in the Caribbean during WW II, and he was most fond of Havana.

Finally, after talking about it for years, he decided to take the family to Cuba when Bud was a wee lad. He was just old enough to know what was happening, I guess. Maybe he's older than I thought.

Back then, there was an overnight car ferry from Key West to Havana. The day of their departure, Bud woke up in a hotel room in Key West, listening to the news of Castro's revolution on the radio.
I can't imagine that people once got news that way, but Bud says they did. He may be even older than the internet. When he was little, broadcast television hadn't yet become popular. I think that was before streaming video.

Bud says that reading was their main form of entertainment when he was growing up. Imagine that. Some of us have returned to the old ways. Some of us never left. You should give it a try; download a copy of Bluewater Revolution. You'll enjoy it. Thanks for your support. All of us appreciate it.

XXXX
Dani

Dani was worried for no reason.

Hi, everybody! It's Connie again. Sails Job - A Connie Barrera Thriller is available now.  Click on the cover to the left to go to the Kindle Store for more details.

You can see that Bud released my most recent book right on schedule, in spite of Dani's warning in her last post. When she wrote me a couple of months ago that he was distracted by his move ashore and his grandchildren, Paul said she was just trying to stir things up. Sometimes I wonder about that girl.

Paul and I were surprised at how much we enjoyed working with Bud in his new office in Fort Worth. It's nice not to worry about the computer getting soaked with salt spray, or sliding off the chart table while he writes about our adventures. All of us have plenty of sea time to draw on when we miss the open water, and Bud's grandchildren are more of an inspiration than a distraction. They're such fun to have around.

There's a ten-year-old girl who reminds me of what I imagine Dani to have been like at that age. She was the only girl to make the Fort Worth Little League All Star team, and she's one of Bud's fishing buddies. On top of that, she's a writer and artist, working on an illustrated children's book.

The thirteen-year-old boy likes spending time on the pistol range with his dad and Bud. He's even teaching Bud's wife to shoot. Talk about living what you write! And there are four more grandchildren where those two came from. I guess Dani was just preoccupied with her own adventure; I'm sure she'll change her view by the time she and Bud get through the next Bluewater Thriller.

Speaking of mysteries, Bud really surprised us in Sails Job. Right at the start, I got a call from a guy in Bakersfield, California, who said he was my cousin. Then our charter guests brought their own problems aboard. By now, Paul and I should be used to Bud getting us in trouble, but he caught us off guard this time. You'll see what I mean once you read this latest thriller.

Guess I'd better give the keyboard back to Bud. He's already got Dani and Liz in the middle of something in Miami, and he's told us to get Diamantista II up there, too. It sounds like the whole crowd's gathering for something. We just heard from Phillip and Sharktooth that they're headed that way with their wives. It will be fun to have everybody together again. See you in Miami!

Liz and I survived another book, but I'm not sure about Bud.

Bluewater Drone, the eleventh book in the Bluewater Thriller series, is available in the Kindle Store. 

CLICK HERE to get your copy.

Connie thought I didn't notice her last post, way back in April, but I did. I was just too busy getting Bud through Bluewater Drone to deal with her provocation then. Now, after all this time, I've forgotten what she said to annoy me. It's been a tough three months for Liz and me, trying to keep Bud focused on our latest adventure. He'd write us into a tense situation and then wander off to do something else for a while. 

He seemed to think setting up a shore-side home in Texas was an excuse to leave us in limbo for days on end. We finally got him back to work a couple of weeks ago. It wasn't easy competing with those six grandchildren for his attention. I guess that's why he and Leslie wanted the place in Fort Worth. Now I hear there's a seventh grandchild on the way, but that's someone else's problem.

Did you get that, Connie? You and Paul have to contend with the six that are already here plus the excitement of a new one coming soon. You'd better hope he gets back on schedule and finishes your next book before then. If you let him slack off, you'll experience what I've been through.

Bud abandoned me just when I was in the clutches of a lecherous movie producer. He promised to make me a star -- yes, that old cliché. Sicko! Not Bud -- the producer. Liz saved me, though. She's been teaching me all those girly tricks that I missed out on when I was growing up. As silly as they are, they come in handy, sometimes. I was able to get what I wanted from the jerk without having to resort to my usual tactics.

It was a challenge; I wanted to just kick his ass. Before it was over, though, somebody else beat me to it. Even so, I found an outlet for my frustration, and I did learn a few things about picking up strangers in bars.

Liz and I convinced Bud to let people see a little more of the personal side of our relationship in this book. Liz is a great friend, and our skills are complementary, but there's one big difference. She's really smooth when it comes to manipulating men. I've always admired that. My skills at manipulation often involve breaking bones. She's been trying to teach me how to handle men without doing any physical damage.

Of course, Bluewater Drone being a thriller, I had to do away with a few people and blow up some stuff. I didn't punch out the lecher, though. And he was so handsome. A girl can dream ...

Bluewater Drone is available for pre-order now. The final release date is July 19, 2016.  CLICK HERE to get your copy.

Before Dani Notices ...

Hello, everybody. It's Connie again. I wanted to let you know that Paul and I survived another adventure. Running Under Sail - A Connie Barrera Thriller, is available for pre-order, and it's scheduled for release on April 11. Click the cover for details, please.

I didn't know until I went to check the Amazon page for Running Under Sail that Bud had released a boxed set of the first three books in which I appeared. It's called From Deception to Betrayal - an Introduction to Connie Barrera, and there's more information available about it by clicking its cover, as well.

Dani was pleased by the release of the Bluewater Thrillers boxed set at the end of February, but I'm sure she'll be in a snit when she finds out that I have my own compilation. That's why I grabbed the chance to sneak in this blog post; I wanted to let you know that Paul and I appreciate your support before she takes to the keyboard again.

In spite of Liz's worries from the last post about Bud and the NSA, he's still running loose. He's lost himself in the next Bluewater Thriller, I think. I haven't been able to get his attention since he left us in Martinique at the end of Running Under Sail; he's behind closed doors with Dani and Liz.

It has to be another Bluewater book, because I've heard Dani's voice raised several times, followed by Liz's laughing and murmuring soothing phrases, like, "Come on Dani. It's just a story, and you know you always come out all right in the end."

And then Dani, in a heated tone, "Why is it always my quirks that he focuses on, Liz? Why not yours?"

"I can't imagine, Dani. It probably just seems that way to you. Remember the last book?"

"I barely had a role in that story. Besides, I never even got to go sailing." Dani's voice is still raised; she's wound up about something. "I was behind the scenes almost the whole time."

"Well, you don't have that complaint about this one, do you?"

"But it's the way he's making me act; that's not me! He's putting thoughts in my head that I'm not -- "

Her tirade was interrupted by several thuds and a crash, and then I heard Bud's calming voice, but I couldn't tell what he was saying. Things are quiet; I guess everybody's okay.

I'd better stop gossiping and sort things out with Paul. I think I worried him with something I said at the end Running Under Sail. We've got a couple of months to relax and smooth things over while Bud's tied up with Dani and Liz.

I'll just say thanks again, and Paul and I look forward to welcoming you back aboard Diamantista II on April 11.

Connie and Liz are right!

 It's time for me to stop whining and licking my wounds. Liz and I have a business to run, and Connie was right. Bud did release a boxed set of the first three Bluewater Thrillers, so I feel better. Of course, he couldn't have done it without Leslie. All he did was write the books. She's the one who knocked them into shape and packaged them in a presentable form. That old saying is right; behind every man, there's a ...

I'm not sure what happened there, but the keyboard quit working before I could finish that thought, and Bud's giving me that look he has. But I know he appreciates her help. We all do.

I was looking over his shoulder yesterday when he was reviewing the new covers for the early Bluewater Thrillers. I'm glad he's changing them; I never did like those covers with the girls in bikinis, and I know from sneaking a look at his incoming emails that some people think that's what Liz and I look like.

Not that we'd mind looking like those models, but even if we did, we'd rather leave more to our readers' imaginations. I know Connie feels the same way. It's what we do that people are interested in -- not how we look. Besides, who'd ever take me seriously if I flitted around almost naked like those girls?

Even though Bud's spending most of his time with Connie and Paul right now, I got a look at some of his notes the other day. He's working on another book for Liz and me. We're eager to ferret out what's going to happen on our next adventure.

I spotted a bunch of clippings about drones on his desktop. He's got me curious about that. I'm used to seeing him research stuff like how to forge passports with biometric chips, ways to break the encryption on secure communications systems, and details on small, portable nukes -- that kind of thing. But drones? Liz thought maybe he was looking for a gift for one of his grandchildren, but that's not the kind of drone he was studying.

I asked Connie about it, but she doesn't think drones are going to figure in her current story. She did point out that he's always throwing in plot twists, though. Nothing he does should surprise us, she said. She's right about that, but I have this feeling that drones will appear in our next Bluewater Thriller; Liz isn't too sure.

She's a little worried these days, if you can believe that. I know it's out of character for her, but she's got a soft heart when it comes to Bud. She's decided that the NSA probably has him on a list of some kind, based on his Internet search history and some of his Twitter followers. She thinks that line they gave him last month about following up on an update to his son's security clearance was some kind of smokescreen.

I'm not too worried, as long as they'll let him have a computer in his cell. He'll still be able to spin our yarns, and he won't get distracted by the pictures of the islands and boats, either, because they'll restrict his Internet access. It might do him good; at least he'll find out what he put me through in Bluewater Jailbird. Anyway, he's a lawyer. They never do anything illegal, do they? Not unless they're running for elected office, which he isn't.

I'd better go; a big black SUV with tinted windows just stopped out front, and there's a drone hovering in the backyard. What's Bud doing with that tin-foil-hat thing on his head? Come on, Liz; Bud may need a little backup here in the next few minutes.

I can't let Dani's last post go unanswered.

I just booted Bud off the computer. That may be a little short-sighted of me, since he's hard at work on the fifth book in my Connie Barrera Thriller series, but I felt compelled to respond to Dani's last blog post and try to square things with her.

In her last post, she was not only complaining about having to dye her hair and wear -- oops, Bud's giving me the high sign. Okay. I'll stay away from that. I'm annoyed with her, but far be it from me to spoil anybody's story.

The thing that's set me off isn't that she's being such a prima donna. It's that she seems to think she has first claim to Bud's attention. She's upset because he's working on my fifth book instead of another Bluewater Thriller. Come on, girl! He's written ten Bluewater Thrillers.

What? You think that because I had a bit part in two of them, I owe you something?

Well, okay, you did teach me to sail, and I did meet Paul through you and Liz. I suppose you have a point there. I do owe you a lot. But stop already with this business about your being his first "star" character.

I played a lead role in Deception in Savannah before you were even a gleam on Bud's computer screen. Give me some credit for that. If I hadn't gotten him through that first book, where would you be?

And your role in Bluewater Killer? That involved your being unconscious for most of the book. You didn't amount to much before you met Liz in Bluewater Vengeance. Then it took you two books to figure out what happened to that Reilly guy, and you didn't even finish him off personally, at that. You think you're a bad-ass?

What? You think your books outsell mine? Just wait a minute, Dani.

You're the one who said you gave me roles in two of your books. That was Bud's decision; not yours. If I count Deception in Savannah and we share credit for Bluewater Ice and Bluewater Betrayal, plus the four thrillers that have my name on the covers, that's seven books, young lady. And you? You only have eight Bluewater Thrillers without me in them, and you slept through the first one. If you're so great, why isn't your name on the covers?

Okay, I've had enough of this; I don't like being argumentative, and besides, I need to put Bud back to work on my next story. Why don't you take a deep breath and thank Liz for saving you from going to jail?

Besides, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but Bud's probably going to release a boxed set of your first three books before he finishes my fifth one. See, he still likes you, and so do I. Let's not do this any more. There are enough villains to go around without us squabbling with one another. This is a team effort, remember?

Liz is setting out a tray for tea; let's talk about the good times that are coming, and let Bud get back to work.

I'm Dani Berger, and this is my series!

Liz is teasing me about my brassy, blonde hair.  That girl's got some nerve.  I had no choice about changing my hair color.  That was Bud's decision. Good thing I'm not a vain person.  Leave it to a man to mess up a girl's hair.

There's a word for guys like him, but I ... Liz is shushing me and pointing, like maybe Bud's listening.  Well, I hope he is! It's not fair. Yeah, so she had to put a little red in her hair for this last caper, but it hardly even changed her appearance. I wouldn't have noticed if she hadn't told me, trying to placate me.

And I still haven't forgiven her for the way she slapped me -- that girl packs some kind of punch. Of course, she says it's not her fault; Bud made her do it, she says. And except for her smacking me, I'd have been locked up in St. Lucia, according to her.  Isn't that just like her, the Pollyanna?

She thinks I'm miffed because she had the lead role in Bluewater Jailbird.  She hasn't come right out and said it, but I can tell.  She's too smug for her own good, sometimes.  Like I care if she gets to prance around and be in charge for a change. This whole series would be nowhere without me.

What's that, Liz?  I sound like Donald who? Don't you dare mention the hair!

Anyhow, we survived Bluewater Jailbird. I'm irritated with Bud that I didn't get to do a little more sailing.  He's been hanging out with us a lot lately. I can tell he misses Play Actor, and I'm still surprised that he didn't insist on more sea time in this last book. I guess we had to go where the story took us.  Liz and Marie got in some nice sailing, but I was stuck ashore the whole time.  I've put Bud on notice -- he's not going to do that again, I'll bet.

He knows I'm not happy; he messed up my hair, and my feet still hurt from those ... Oh.  Liz is shaking her head and making throat-cutting motions.  She's worried about spoilers.

Now Bud's taking up time with that Barrera woman again. I like Connie, and Paul's a good guy, but their whole last book took place at sea.  She's already whispering in Bud's ear about another book; she's probably promising to take him sailing.  He's so easy, sometimes.

Liz and I could take him, but he says it's Connie's turn.  She's never happy; she and Paul had some great sailing and got married at the end of her last book.  How's that for happily ever after?  Now that the honeymoon's over, they're going to pick up a charter and head down island with Bud in tow.  Me? At the end of Bluewater Jailbird, I get bad hair, and I'm supposed to be grateful to Pollyanna that she got me out of trouble.

What are you saying, Liz? Jealous? Me?

Bluewater Jailbird, the tenth book in the Bluewater Thriller series, is available from Amazon.  CLICK HERE TO BUY.

Paul Russo, a man among men ... and women

Bud’s mixed up in an argument with Connie Barrera, and I’m staying out of their way. I’ll take advantage of their distraction to say hello. I’m Paul Russo, the first mate and chef aboard the charter yacht, Diamantista II, and Connie's fiancé.

Connie and I met through mutual friends. She was a charter guest on Vengeance, the yacht run by Dani Berger and Liz Chirac. Dani’s godfather is a friend of mine. I met him when I was still a homicide detective with the Miami P.D. During the charter, Connie had stumbled into trouble with some guys who were laundering drug money and smuggling diamonds. They made the mistake of crossing Dani, and her godfather asked me to help out. The whole story’s in Bluewater Ice.

Connie had a fine time with Dani and Liz and decided to buy her own boat. The boat was easy enough, but to go into the charter business, she needed a competent chef. She’s a woman with a lot of talents, but none of them involve food preparation.

Connie isn’t a direct person; she’s manipulative. When she saw me sharing the chef's duties with Liz, she began her scheme to Shanghai me. She still has no idea that I knew she was conning me back then. Not that I was resisting, you understand.  My two favorite activities are sailing and cooking.

Besides, I was enjoying Connie’s company; she’s charming. Neither of us was looking for romance; we’d both been burned a few too many times. People who venture out into tropical thunderstorms are never looking to get struck by lightning, either.

Before we got the first Diamantista to the islands, we figured out there was more to our relationship than sailing and cooking. Our early days were complicated by drug smugglers who had their own plans for Diamantista, but we got through that and decided to get married. That saga is in Love for Sail.

Our romance hasn’t been all smooth sailing and Caribbean sunsets. We’ve had our problems. There was something eating away at Connie during our second charter, the one that’s described in Sailor’s Delight. I never figured it out, but I think it had something to do with an orange thong. Whatever it was, we’re solid now, but we still have our differences.

Connie’s got a temper, if you haven’t noticed, and I’m often too quick to speak my mind. I managed to get my face slapped pretty hard in the first few pages of this current story, but I think we’re getting used to one another’s quirks.

Connie and I are over halfway through our new adventure and Bud still hasn’t settled on a title for the book. Connie's annoyed with him about that. She wants to call it A Blast to Sail. She even got Liz Chirac to do a cover, but Bud’s not sold on it yet.  He’ll get there, if he knows what’s good for him. I’m not getting caught between them on that.

I may get a chance for another post before this next book comes out, but Dani's waving her arms and shaking her head. I think she wants the keyboard. It’s tough sometimes, being a man in a woman’s world. Thanks for reading.

A boring charter? Liz liked it.

I know Dani said our last guests were boring. In a way, they were, but it's nice to have a charter with no stress. To me, that's the real attraction of this yachting life. Oh, there's a bit of stress in our day-to-day routine; there's the occasional bad weather or a problem with the boat.

There are people problems, too. Customs and immigration officers are occasionally difficult, but that’s the exception.  The officials that we interact with as we move from country to country are usually pleasant, just doing their jobs. They know our visits are good for their country's economy. Most go out of their way to make us welcome, like the people here at Jolly Harbour, Antigua, who always greet us like we’re long lost relatives.


 


The local people are soft-spoken and considerate.  They enjoy taking time out to visit, but often won’t initiate interaction for fear of intruding. While they may appear aloof, once you say hello, their reserve melts.

Our fellow yachtsmen are more likely to bring stress into our lives than the locals. Through ignorance, carelessness, or poor judgment, they sometimes do things that cause problems. Anchoring too close to us is a common failing among them. At best, that's an invasion of privacy, but when the weather turns foul in the middle of the night and their anchors drag, it can be dangerous. We've been awakened more than once by the crash of another boat dragging into us.  They can be loud, too, disrupting the tranquil environment that we all sought when we came to the islands.  And they’re often abrupt and in a hurry, unlike our island hosts.

Our guests are sometimes a source of stress, too. We get all kinds of people; most are nice, but there are some ... well, let's say they're different. The charter before last, the one Bud wrote about in Bluewater Rendezvous, is an example. Dani and I are still discussing Angela Cappelletti.

I think Angela was just a girl trapped in an unpleasant situation, but Dani's view is that she was a cold-blooded, conniving killer. She thinks Angela set that whole scenario in motion to get rid of her father. Then there was Carlotta Solanó. There's not much doubt about what she was, but it's interesting to look at her as Angela's alter ego, especially since they went so far as to switch identities.

Recalling that brings me to the subject of Dani and Ralph Suarez. We covered that before, at least to the point that Dani let me know she didn't want to talk about it. I know he's on her mind, though, in the odd moments when I find her staring off into the distance. Sometimes she's smiling, and sometimes she's frowning. I don't ask; she's not comfortable talking about him. That's a giveaway, in itself. After living with her for the last four years, I can tell what's on her mind. I don't think we've heard the last of that story.

Dani the Peacemaker

I knew as soon as I read Bud’s post about the Heineken Regatta that there would be trouble.  Liz was in his face first thing the next morning.

“You’ve made me look like some mindless little clone who just buys expensive groceries and fritters away her time in the galley,” she said, in a hurt tone.  I could hear the suppressed shriek; she’s a harpy, deep down inside, but she hides it well.

“I’m so sorry I’ve upset you,” he said, sincerity etched in the lines of his weathered face.  “I didn’t mean to portray you as one of that crowd.  You’re the protypical charter boat chef, Liz.  They all aspire to be like you, but none of them are even in the same league.  They can dress like you and act like you.  A few of them may even be able to cook like you, but they can’t fool me — not really.  You’re unique, and your talents and skills go far beyond what you do in the galley.  You can hand, reef, and steer with the best sailors I know, and there’s nobody I’d rather have at my back when things turn rough."

Of course, I knew he would normally have added, “except Dani,” but I can understand why he didn’t.  I wouldn’t cross her myself; she can be dangerous.  I watched her expression soften as she listened, and the next thing I knew, they were walking away, arm in arm, going to some upscale coffee shop near the yacht club.

I’m relieved.  The way she’d been carrying on with me about that post, I thought he’d have another bend in that crooked nose of his before she was done.  I see now where Connie gets her smooth talk; he should have been a lawyer.

Speaking of lawyers, our current charter guests are taking an island tour today.  They’re a nice enough couple, but a little on the boring side.  They’re a husband and wife, partners in some real estate law practice.  When we got the booking, I was hoping they were criminal lawyers — maybe with some interesting, unhappy clients who might try to ruin their vacation.  No such luck.

Liz has been having a fine time keeping them amused.  They’ve been snorkeling, shopping, and going to the museums.  They spent one whole day walking around Pointe-à-Pitre, making pictures of the shoe stores.  I’ll grant you, not many cities have streets a mile long with nothing but shoe stores, but still.


They’re easily entertained and not much trouble, but I’ve been going nuts trying to stay out of the way.  I’ve done things like dive on the prop every day and polish it.  I’ve spent so much time under Vengeance scraping imaginary barnacles that the fish are bringing me snacks.

Oh, well.  Every charter can’t be worth a book.  I hope Connie and Paul are having more excitement with their new boat.  I’ll be glad when their adventure is done and I can get Bud’s devious mind focused on my needs again.

Who is Connie Barrera?

Dani and Liz suggested I write this; I would have never considered it otherwise. Sharing my thoughts this way is a little uncomfortable; I'm the epitome of a private person. I'm Connie Barrera, the co-owner and skipper of the charter yacht Diamantista II, and until recently, I was the quintessential loner.

Bud's busy with the next book in my Connie Barrera Thriller series, and I want to keep him focused. Right now, he's got me caught up in a terrorist’s plot. I need to give him time to resolve that so I can get on with my life.  So, against my nature though it is, I’ll share a little of my history with you.

My background has a lot to do with my penchant for keeping to myself. I didn't have an easy life in my early years. I'm not complaining, but you should know that until recently, I held the view that people could be divided into two classes: scammers and their marks. I didn't consider the boundary between the classes to be rigid, either. One person's mark was often another's scammer. That was what made life fun; that, and scheming to come out on top every time.

I believe in fair play; I always have. I never fleeced anyone who wouldn't have done the same to me, but that left a lot of room for maneuvering. I have a better life now, thanks to hard work, an open mind, and a little luck. It's a mistake to discount the importance of luck in determining life's outcomes, but I always work hard to minimize its effect.

Luck caused my life to change for the better when I met Dani and Liz a couple of years ago. I was in a hurry to depart from Nassau without leaving a trail, and I chartered Vengeance to make my escape. That story is told in Bluewater Ice.

Unqualified friendship was a new experience for me. Dani and Liz were watching my back for no reason other than their sense that it was the right thing to do. What an awakening that was! The idea that they were in my corner with no quid pro quo stunned me. As I said, it changed my life. I liked it so much that I stuck around with them for their adventures in Bluewater Betrayal.

They introduced me to sailing, which is pure magic. Harnessing the wind to make a 50-ton boat go where you want is an experience like no other. You can't overpower the wind and the sea, but you can adjust the way you deal with them so that they assist you in achieving your goals. If you can get what you want from Mother Nature, getting people to go your way is no challenge.

Besides teaching me to sail, Dani and Liz introduced me to Paul Russo, the love of my life. Paul's a life-long sailor, and he happened along when I had decided to buy a yacht and go into the charter business. He had just retired from the Miami Police Department, and he was looking for something to do. Next to sailing, his other favorite thing is cooking. I was dubious about taking up with a cop, but I needed a good cook for my luxury charter yacht. Making a peanut butter sandwich taxes my culinary skills.

Paul agreed to help me get started.  That was in Love for Sail, the first Connie Barrera Thriller. In Sailor’s Delight, the second book in the series, we got the business going and worked out some personal problems. Now we've bought a nicer boat and we're going to marry. I'm still astonished by that. I've had men in my life before Paul, but always on my terms and only to further my goals. I wasn't looking for love back then; I was recruiting talent for my schemes. There was an element of that in my relationship with Paul, but it didn't last long. Until I met him, the men I knew had been trying to use me.  Not that I wasn't doing the same, but this time, I’m in love.

We have some rough spots in our relationship, and Bud keeps throwing external conflicts like these terrorists our way to keep things exciting, but we're going to make it, Paul and I are. We're committed.  And we're committed to entertaining the people who like to read about our adventures, too. We wouldn't be here without you all. Thanks!

Meet Liz Chirac.

While Bud's busy with the next book and Dani's touching up the varnish on Vengeance, I'm taking my turn at the blog. I'm Liz Chirac, Dani Berger's partner in Vengeance, and I'm worried that these Bluewater Thrillers are bad for our business. In spite of what you've read about us, we do have charters that don't involve murder and mayhem. The problem is that I can't get Bud to write about them, and Dani's ... well, you know Dani. She thinks reading about perfect sailing with happy people and beautiful islands would be boring.  So when I get my chances at the keyboard, I'm going to post some comments and maybe an occasional picture to share some of the high points of places that we visit.

By way of introduction, I'm not shy, but I don’t compete with Dani for the spotlight. She's much quicker to say what's on her mind than I am. Well, most of the time, she is. When it comes to talking about guys, she's pretty reticent. But we've already dealt with that, at least for now. Thanks for your comments a couple of weeks ago.  You encouraged her to talk that over with me.

I grew up in Belgium, and I thought I was well-traveled until I found these Caribbean islands. I attended a boarding school in the U.K. and studied for my undergraduate and graduate degrees in France. Along the way, I saw most of Europe.  I finished my education and took a job in Brussels for a couple of years.  After my father’s death, I was at loose ends with a small inheritance, so I took a sabbatical and flew to Guadeloupe, in the French West Indies. I spent several weeks on some beautiful beaches and decided that I would stay in the islands.

The story of how that came to be is in Bluewater Killer and Bluewater Vengeance.  In hindsight, that was a scary experience, but at the time it just seemed strange. That's another story; the good part was that I met Dani at a time when we were both trying to figure out what to do next, and we bought Vengeance. Life has been grand ever since.

Enough about me. I'll start our tour in Antigua, which is featured in several of the Bluewater Thrillers. Until its independence in 1981, Antigua was a British colony. The French held the island for a brief period in 1666, but unlike a lot of the islands that alternated between French and British rule, Antigua didn’t get passed back and forth. There was a British naval base in English Harbour from the early 1700s until it was abandoned in 1889.  Nelson’s Dockyard, as it’s called, is now a national park, and it is the center of a lot of yachting activities.
This shot of English Harbour was taken from the guard post at the harbour entrance.  When you stand where the photographer was, it's easy to imagine the anchorage filled with 18th century British warships.

Another place in Antigua that’s mentioned in the books is Jolly Harbour, where we often have Vengeance on a mooring.  We like to have sundowners in the cockpit with our guests there. Here’s a typical sunset:


I hear Dani putting the lid on the varnish can; it’s time for cocktails.  I’ll be back to share more photographs and perhaps a few of my sketches.  Let me know if there’s a particular place you would like to see.

Bluewater Rendezvous is available - Dani was right!

As Dani predicted in her last post, Bluewater Rendezvous is available now in the Kindle Store.  I appreciate her filling in for me while I wrapped up the book.  She was in more trouble than usual in Bluewater Rendezvous.  Before the villains even showed up, she was quarreling with her mother, of all people.

Dani’s so self-assured that she doesn’t often provide us with insight into her personal life.  I had forgotten she had a mother — we haven’t heard from her since she got into a snit because Dani didn’t call her on her birthday a few years ago.  The fact that Dani was unconscious and being held by human traffickers didn’t matter to the woman.  I learned early in Bluewater Rendezvous that the two had not spoken since then.  That was eight books ago.  Dani’s making a throat-cutting motion with her hand.  It’s clear that she wants me to stop.  I’m not sure if she’s worried about spoilers or if she wants the floor.

I created a monster when I invited her to make that first post a few weeks ago.  Now that she’s had a taste of what it’s like to speak for herself, she wants to make blogging a regular activity.  Not only that, but her sidekick, Liz Chirac, is clamoring for her turn at the keyboard.  Then there’s Connie Barrera, who already has me tied up with writing about her current adventure.  She wants in on this.  Once Paul Russo finds out, I’m guessing he’ll want a turn, too.  These are not patient people.

I would appreciate it if you would help me sell a few copies of the new book; I have a feeling I’m going to have to buy computers for the whole gang if this keeps up.

Liz said to mention that she’ll be writing the next post.  I notice that she waited until Dani went ashore to tell me that.  I need to go before trouble breaks out.

Thanks for your support.

Thanks for your suggestions!

Bud’s busy wrapping up Bluewater Rendezvous, so the coast is clear for me to write another post.  Thanks for your suggestions on how to handle Liz’s questions.  It’s hard sometimes for someone with my background to be objective.  Let’s face it: everybody I know has a lot of the same subconscious biases.  Bud’s a great guy, but he has an inordinate amount of influence over what I think.  He not only shapes my thoughts, but all my friends’ thoughts, as well.  You can see why your ideas were particularly valuable to me.

Now that we’ve resolved all the life or death conflicts in Bluewater Rendezvous, Liz and I have had a chance to sit down and talk things through.  I don’t think she’s completely satisfied with my answers, but at least she understands how I feel.  Oops!  I’d better clarify that.  She understands how I feel about kissing and telling.  Even I don’t understand how I feel about Ralph Suarez.  He’s an enigma, for sure.

Speaking of him, he played a behind-the-scenes role in this latest adventure.  I was worried right up until the end that he was going to drop in on us.  Unless there’s a rewrite, I’m out of the woods, but who knows?  Talk about nervous!  I can stay cool in some pretty tough situations, but that’s my job.  There’s something else going on where that guy’s concerned.  I suspect that this isn’t over yet.

At least it’s going to be on the back burner for a while, though.  Bud has to deal with the editing and publication of Bluewater Rendezvous, and my sly friend, Connie Barrera, is already up to something.  She and Paul are taking delivery of their new boat, and she’s got Bud focused on their next adventure as they sail from Maine to the islands.

I’m relieved.  That gives me time to think about Ralph Suarez without being center stage in another book while I’m doing it.

Thanks again, and Bud asked me to mention that Bluewater Rendezvous should be in the Kindle Store in a couple of weeks.

Looking for a Little Advice

This blog idea worked out well last time, and I've talked Bud into letting me give it another shot. I was pleased that he didn't censor that first post, so I'm going to press my luck a little this time.

I need some advice; he's put me in a real bind in this current book. I don't mean the conflicts with the bad guys; that's to be expected. Being a kick-ass heroine is my job. I get that; I wouldn't have it any other way. The problem is that he's getting into some aspects of my life that I've always kept private, and it's playing right into Liz's insatiable curiosity.

You might have noticed that she's sort of man-crazy. I don't mean she's easy, but she sure does like to look, and her comments and facial expressions give her away, at least to me. It's not that I don't enjoy ogling the guys every so often, but I'm a little more reticent when it comes to that stuff.

Bud got me into a tight spot back in Bluewater Voodoo with this hunk named Ralph Suarez. He was just a bit player in the story, but I spent some private time with him and got him to share some critical information about an undercover operative who was causing us problems.

Bud left it up to me to determine what happened between the two of us, and he let me decide how much of that would be revealed in the book. There are some things I'm not comfortable disclosing in public. The whole situation might have slipped by unoticed except Bud let Liz start wondering what did or didn't happen between me and Ralph in his hotel room for that couple of hours.

When I rebuffed her queries in Bluewater Voodoo, Liz let it drop. That's typical of her. She's a good friend and deals with my quirks, whether she understands them or not. The problem is that Bud has brought this whole thing to the surface again in Bluewater Rendezvous. Ralph Suarez keeps showing up in the story -- not in person, at least not yet -- but he's in the background, somewhere.

Liz is looking at me that way again; I know she's still wondering. One time, Bud almost let her come right out and ask, but he's a pretty good friend, too -- at least for a guy. He left me an opportunity to shut her down without answering the question. Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but there are some things that I think a girl should keep to herself.

I could use a little advice; I know Liz is dying to know, and I've never had a better friend. Should I tell her? I mean, like, in private -- not right out in the book. I trust Bud’s judgment on most things, but I’d like some other opinions on this one. What do you think?