Dig a Deep Well
by
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...She wrote several pages and then stopped. When five minutes had gone by and she hadn't written any more, she was disappointed by her lack of inspiration.
Aren't I the image of the used-up writer who hasn't produced in years? She thought. Next think I know I'll have a cigarette dangling from my mouth and a bottle of whisky next to my empty pages.
To shake off her negative thinking she opened a magazine on her desk that featured an article about Yoga. Lila flipped through the pages briskly and stopped to look at a photograph of a white-bearded swami sitting in the lotus position. A quotation beside his photograph read, "Don't keep changing techniques. In meditation practice it is better to dig one well twleve feet deep than twelve wells one foot deep." Lila said to the photograph in jest, "Okay, Swami, I'll keep digging into the geothermal well investigation and maybe I'll reach China."
She sighed heavily and closed the magazine cover. Then she closed her eyes and tried to still her mind by concentrating on the flow of her breath. After ten minutes she placed her hands on the computer keys and said, "Okay, write it through me, writing guide. I'm all yours." To her surprise, she began to type a story.
Lila went through the class without her usual concentration, preferring to reflect on a new, albeit uncomfortable, awareness of herself, further illuminated by her dream the night before.
She thought, I want to hide and I can't. Every time I try to hide--to fade into the background--something calls me back to life.
Her reclusive nature was being challenged every day. She had changed into a more outgoing person, participating in life, and channeling energy she had previously used to keep her apart from others into a plan, a goal. her mission was becoming clearer; though not completely understood, it was crystallizing. her sense of duty gave her not choice but to accept responsibility for her life and others.
This moment of self-reflection caused her to be lax in defending herself, and her opponent threw her hard to the mat. Talk about being called back into life, she thought. She got up feeling somewhat shocked. Reality also struck her. I'm vulnerable. I'm not in control of this murder mystery that's part of my life. I have no choice but to fight in the real world.
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About the Book
Sixteen-year-old, part-Hawaiian, Lila Rutledge...pretty, smart, and somewhat overwhelmed by her high profile parents...is frustrated by her own shortcomings. Her self-esteem is at low ebb when she accidentally discovers a key to a murder and evidence that her island could be seriously endangered. Lila rallies to prove herself worthy of her Hawaiian legacy: Like an ancient alii, she prepares to risk everything for the sake of her island. To do so, she must overcome her fears and transform herself into a focused, disciplined warrior. Lila comes to this realization with the encouragement of her wise and witty grandmother, Lana, who is her politically savvy confidant. Because of suspected police corruption, Lana arranges for Lila to reveal her findings about the murder to a trustworthy police detective. Soon, the detective, his nephew, Lila’s young Aikido teacher and first romantic interest, his grandfather, and even Lila’s parents, form an unlikely team that secretly conducts their own investigation into the murder. The team’s challenge is to expose the murderer(s) and save the island before it’s too late to stop the catastrophic course of events already underway. A meltdown situation is about to occur due to secret plans for large-scale geothermal development and offshore mining. The mysterious beliefs and ancient traditions of Hawaii, the love of the land, and the cultural diversity of its people, is the fabric of the Rutledge’s Hawaiian life. The exotic backdrop of the isolated, volcanic island provides the atmosphere for Dig a Deep Well.
About the Author
Ellen Verity is a Yoga therapist, stress management counselor, and a writer-producer-director of audio-visual productions. She is currently writing another Lila mystery- a sequel to Dig a Deep Well.