AKiCiF: Name that Book

Thinking about old books yesterday reminded me of another novel that I read over and over -- not because I liked it, particularly, but because of the touching belief that, if I read it often enough, it would make sense. Possibly, this never actually happened.

I was, until a few moments ago, abiding under the pleasant misconception that the title of the book was Moonraker. However, this appears to be the title of a James Bond novel, and not at all what I'm looking for. Then I thought perhaps it was Moon Tide, but that's not a winner either.

So! The cover of the book was a large full moon framed by forbidding looking cliffs, and in the foreground two small figures along the edge of a dark sea.

As nearly as I can recall, the hero of the story lived on Moon Something Bay or Something Moon Bay. The defining feature of this piece of water was terrible treacherous currents. How treacherous and terrible, you ask? The entire village lived quite well from the salvage brought ashore from ships that were broken on the rocks of those cliffs out there. When the bodies washed up, they were decently buried, and life in the village went on until the next shipwreck.

I believe what happens very quickly after this pastoral mode of life is established for the reader is that a body washes up that isn't quite yet a corpse and against the better judgment of the Many, this sailor is nursed back to health. Whereupon all of Our Narrator's troubles begin.

He is eventually taken up by a ship that ventures into Moon Something Bay without incident, and he is forced into a life of piracy. Or smuggling. Or accounting. Or -- something. At the end of the book -- spoilers! -- the good ship is caught in a storm, and breaks up on the rocks of those cliffs out there, and Our Narrator (and his companion?) become(s) the second (and third?) man/men to arrive on the shores of Moon Something Bay, alive, from a shipwreck.

Ring any bells?

Edited to add: The Incomparable malkingrey has the answer: Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner

And I’m not askin’ to be loved, or forgiven

Here we are in the aftermath of the snowstorm — Saturday, which has been sunny, warm and relatively still. The snow melted with quiet seemliness from the trees — we lost some low to the ground branches on a few of the pines, but otherwise no aboreal tragedies on Cat Farm lands. Phew.

Also? The electricity stayed on, which means no down wires. At least, not in this part of the Enchanted Forest. And phew, again.

Today saw the writing of checks — notably those owed to our Gracious Overlord the Internal Revenue Service. Ow, says the Tax Account. On the other hand, this is why we have a Tax Account — The writing of checks, I say, and the Reading of George.

I see by my records that I put George down on January 21st to work on Other Things. Nine weeks was rather longer than I wanted to be away; but! on the bright side — time does provide distance. In all, I like what’s here, though I have to straighten a minor time-kink — an easy fix, as such things go, consisting of moving chapter and adding two lines — and write a character out of a scene where they really shine because said character can’t — really just can’t — be in two places at the same time.

My intentions for tomorrow are to stick with George, go through and tidy up the minor manuscript housekeeping, move the chapter, add the lines and rewrite that scene. Then, I should be back on track to start laying down new material, which is something I’m very much looking forward to doing.

Of course, the SRM fiscal year just ended — or started, if you’re of an optimistic turn of mind — and the end of year totals aren’t going to tot up themselves. On the other hand, the books are up-to-date, so I can total a few columns every day for a week, as a warm-up exercise. That’s the ticket.

For those playing along at home — the pledge period for signed copies of Ghost Ship has of course closed, and The Number has been forwarded to Mr. Blyly at Uncle Hugo’s.

You’ll recall that we were initially aiming to gather pledges for 100 books. I’m pleased to say that, when the dust settled, we had received pledges for 525 books.

You guys? Rock.

The next step is pre-order. As soon as Mr. Blyly completes the necessary negotiations with Baen and provides us with the URL for the pre-order website, we will do our part by shouting it from the rooftops.

Watch, as they say, the skies.

Originally published at Sharon Lee, Writer. You can comment here or there.