Love, Murder and Mystery in Grand Bahama? - Love, MURDER and Mystery are the undercurrents of a new novel written by local Grand Bahama resident, Sydney Watson. ‘Island Salt’ is Watson’s first island fiction and stems from her original goal to live in The Bahamas and write full time. On June 2nd Watson will launch her book to the public at the well-known Garden of the Groves at 6pm, the event will feature a reading by the author and signed first editions too.
FREEPORT, Grand Bahama – Love, MURDER and Mystery are the undercurrents of this newest work for local resident Sydney Watson. ‘Island Salt’ is Watson’s first island fiction and stems from her original goal to write a novel while living in the Bahamas.
This goal however was quickly delayed by arriving in Grand Bahama three weeks before the devastating hurricanes of 2004. “We were oceanfront at the time between Viva Fortuna and Club Caribe” said Watson. “We left our cottage in a paradise setting and returned to find total devastation as well as looters.
Watson, a former English Professor and Florida native, moved to Grand Bahama six years ago to begin writing this novel while her husband worked in the yacht industry. During this time she returned to teaching locally, working on the novel in the summers. “I can’t create when I’m teaching. My students become my priority, and all my energy is invested into their success.” So, a few years later she finished the manuscript and has spent the past year rewriting and proofing her book, ‘Island Salt.’
On June 2nd Watson will launch her book to the public at the well-known Garden of the Groves at 6pm. “It’s exciting finally having ‘Island Salt’ released! The characters and Island Salt itself really did take on a life of their own, and getting it all out to the reading public is quite a thrill!” she exclaimed.
The event is an open invitation to all interested readers and Watson will also read small excerpts from the novel - aiming not to give away the ending of this fast paced island thriller.
‘Island Salt’ is set in Grand Bahama at a legendary bonefishing lodge where love, murder and mystery abound. Based around Watson’s heroine, Kit MacKane, a women struggling to keep her business afloat and love life intact, Kit must unravel all the secrets in her life to solve the ultimate mystery – her brother’s disappearance.
Watson describes her book as a “fun, tongue-in-cheek read with a dash of romance and suspense!” But she also hopes to give readers a glimpse into island life, something she has experienced her whole life, especially as a Florida Keys native. “Really, Grand Bahama is much like the Florida where I grew up. South Florida was not much more than a strip of isolated beaches, orange groves and west of Federal Highway (U.S.1) - swamp and alligator wrestling! We had no AC. We really did sleep out on the porches under the ceiling fans in the summer to catch the ocean breeze.”
BACK COVER SYNOPSIS:
Island Salt, a legendary bone fishing lodge on Grand Bahama, becomes the vortex for murder and misplaced loyalty. In the heat of the tropics, Kit MacKane struggles to keep the family business alive as she is confronted with the disappearance of her brother, a murdered fishing guide, and the unexpected return of her Cuban lover who left her twelve years earlier. Between the challenges of island life and her passion for Bartlett Menendez, she finds herself almost destroyed when she discovers Menendez's true motive - to own Island Salt - at any price. Kit must rely upon her own instincts when those she trusts betray her while a killer is on the loose at Island Salt.
New novel released by local Grand Bahama writer - ‘Island Salt’ is the first island fiction novel for Sydney Watson, a local teacher in Grand Bahama. Her book is set in Grand Bahama at a legendary bonefishing lodge where love, murder and mystery abound. Based around Watson’s heroine, Kit MacKane, a women struggling to keep her business afloat and love life intact - Kit must unravel all the secrets in her life to solve the ultimate mystery – her brother’s disappearance. Watson will have a launch of her book on June 2nd but the book is currently available on barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com, the worlds’ leading book sales websites.
Watson will be selling her book at the launch but ‘Island Salt’ is currently available on barnesandnoble.com and amazon.com, the worlds’ leading book sales websites. The first review of her book was released by P. Callan of Independent Book Reviewers and it was noted “Watson needs to keep writing! We want more Kit MacKane!”
