It’s bittersweet to leave Puerto Rico. I’m a little homesick and want to be with my family and friends in Maryland, but Puerto Rico has a magic about it. I have so many images in my head and my heart. The book on the Taino mermaid, Aycayia is swimming (pun intended) in my head with various plot lines. My reading, this trip, has been the The Mermaid of the Black Conch by Monique Roffey, which is the only book I have found on Aycayia. I am currently in search of an obscure folklore book published in 1919 in Spanish on Aycayia. I highly recommend Monique Roffey’s book It’s won several awards and the reader gains great insight to island culture. I treasure this book. It’s very different from my story, but I’m grateful to Monique Roffey and her characters. Next up, a lot of reading on Taino folklore as I begin to research for The Shattered Sea.
It was an exciting time at the airport. We had a last Pina Colada and excellent conversation with Lukas, our bartender. When I went through TSA security, I was flagged for my coffee roasted by our friend Ruben Agudo. Apparently, it set off an alarm and my baggage and I were searched and swabbed for explosive materials. They opened and tested the coffee, hard pat down — an interesting experience that I’m sure I can use in a future book. Fortunately, they didn’t find anything (and shouldn’t!) and I was free to catch my flight. James and Holly had coffee in their carryon luggage as well, but they went through just fine.
We had a good flight. Kudos to JetBlue that flies to Aguadilla for safe flights to Fort Lauderdale and then to Philadelphia.
Home again. Back to work. Today, back to Elen and 18th century Scotland with images of turquoise waves in my head. I am looking forward to returning to Puerto Rico.
