Asbury Park Press
August 2, 2003
August 2, 2003
A NOVEL ADVENTURE
A Grandmother and grandson share a love of sailing---and a knack for writing about adventure on the high seas. Patti Martin
Over the years, Joan Santomenna and her grandson, Marco, have shared a number of adventures. Some were short others longer in duration. All were fun and each had a logical conclusion.
Not this latest journey!
Spanning three years, the trip was a wild ride through the Caribbean with close encounters with modern-day pirates, unsolved mysteries and even the attempted theft of a U.S. nuclear submarine.
"Sounds interesting doesn't it," 16-year-old Marco says with a smile. "Makes you want to hear more."
"To find out the whole story of this adventure on the high seas, though, you'll have to pick up a copy of "Caribbean Capers," (WindSpirit Publishing, $9.95), the pair's first venture into fiction.
"I never expected it to turn out this way," the 71-year-old Beachwood resident confesses. "But the book just took on a life of its own, and we just went along for the ride."
Travel back in time three years. A then 13-year-old Marco, the oldest child of the Santomenna's son Michael and his wife, Stefania, was assigned to write a story for English class. While the teacher liked the story, she offered some technical advice and suggested that the story might go in a different direction.
"I understood the technical stuff," confesses Marco, who starts his junior year at Toms River High School North next month, "But I didn't like her telling me how the story should go…It was my story." At the time, the short tale revolved a round a stolen dinghy, a not-so-uncommon problem in the waters of the Caribbean.
"I thought it was a perfectly fine story, " Marco says.
"So did I," Santomenna smoothly interjects, "but I thought it would be fun to play around with it. . .see why anyone would want to steal a dinghy.
That Marco would choose to base the story on a stolen dinghy came as no surprise to anyone in the Santomenna family. Joan Santomenna laughingly explains that she and her husband, Roland, "have 120 years of sailing experience between them." His father and other aunts and uncles have been on the water since they were little, and Marco has been calling boats of all shapes and sizes a second home since he was 3 years old.
"I like the freedom of being on the water," the Toms River resident says, "sailing along, going wherever the wind takes us. There's just something special about being out on the water.
The same could be said of the Caribbean, which has been a home-away-from home of sorts for the elder Santomennas for the past 16 years. From about January to May for each of those years, the couple has called home the Glory B, their 40 foot sailboat which is docked in St. Thomas.
The sailboat's name, Santomenna says with a laugh, came about when Mr. Santomenna was told by his wife that the family could afford to buy the boat. "He said, "Glory B!" Santomenna, recalls, her blue eyes twinkling in delight at the memory. "And the name just kind of stuck."
Over the years, Marco has found his way down to the boat about six times, the most recent trip about two years ago.
"The water is just so crisp and clear," he says, "it's like another world."
A world where a young boy's fertile imagination can create pirates sailing the seas; a world where a young boy can save the day.
"It definitely gave me a foundation for the story," Marco says. "It was a great blend of fact and fiction."
When grandmother and grandson first started tinkering with the story, there was no great plan. Publishing the tale as a book wasn't even on the radar.
"Its just something that we would do when we had some free time," Santomenna says.
"I would jot down ideas and when I'd go over to my grandmother's house, we'd discuss them," Marco adds. "It was just a hobby, something we were doing for ourselves."
Sitting on the porch of the Beachwood house on the Toms River the elder Santomennas have called home for five years, it's easy to see the grandson and grandmother connection. Both are outgoing and affable. They share a love of the water and writing. One easily finishes off the other's thoughts.
"We work well together," Santomenna says, giving her fifth-oldest grandson a hug. "We're a good team."
The team worked so well, in fact, that by the end of 2001, the "little tale" had blossomed into a 100-page story. The next logical step, the two decided was to turn the story into a book. Although rebuffed by a number of publishers, the pair refused to be defeated, especially after friends read the book and were delighted by the tale. If no one was willing to take a chance on them, they would take a chance on themselves.
So Windspirit Publishing was created and "Caribbean Capers" became its first offering. Santomenna made contact with two distributors, National Book Network and Quality Books, and also arranged distribution in the Caribbean through West Indies Wholesale.
"There was not difficulty marketing the books in the Virgin Islands says Santomenna, who returned from her seasonal jaunt in Early May, "They sold like little hotcakes."
And why not?
Geared for ages 9-14, Caribbean Capers" is a page-turning adventure about four boys from diverse cultures who overcome personal problems and unite to solve mysteries and prevent the theft of a nuclear submarine (with a little help from some adults). Add some pirates, hidden caves, secret rooms and a little history, and you have a real page-turner.
"I think it's a great story, especially for boys," Santomenna says, "but then again, I'm a little biased.
Others, though, share Santomenna's enthusiasm.
Dan Trivett, youth services librarian for the Ocean County Library, asked to write a blurb for the story, calling it "a wonderful and enchanting adventure for all ages. This is a fun tale that will encourage children to use their imaginations on every page."
And that, Marco says, is exactly what he and his "Oma" hoped to accomplish.
"I love books, I love reading," he says. "If a book can take me on an adventure, then I'm hooked…and I think that's what we've accomplished with "Caribbean Capers."
Before Marco can finish answering a question about another collaboration, Santomenna pipes in.
"I've a great idea," she says, barely able to contain her enthusiasm. " Let me tell you about it later."
Rolling his eyes in exaggerated exasperation, Marco breaks into a smile.
"I wonder what our next adventure is going to be," he says. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be fun."
Not this latest journey!
Spanning three years, the trip was a wild ride through the Caribbean with close encounters with modern-day pirates, unsolved mysteries and even the attempted theft of a U.S. nuclear submarine.
"Sounds interesting doesn't it," 16-year-old Marco says with a smile. "Makes you want to hear more."
"To find out the whole story of this adventure on the high seas, though, you'll have to pick up a copy of "Caribbean Capers," (WindSpirit Publishing, $9.95), the pair's first venture into fiction.
"I never expected it to turn out this way," the 71-year-old Beachwood resident confesses. "But the book just took on a life of its own, and we just went along for the ride."
Travel back in time three years. A then 13-year-old Marco, the oldest child of the Santomenna's son Michael and his wife, Stefania, was assigned to write a story for English class. While the teacher liked the story, she offered some technical advice and suggested that the story might go in a different direction.
"I understood the technical stuff," confesses Marco, who starts his junior year at Toms River High School North next month, "But I didn't like her telling me how the story should go…It was my story." At the time, the short tale revolved a round a stolen dinghy, a not-so-uncommon problem in the waters of the Caribbean.
"I thought it was a perfectly fine story, " Marco says.
"So did I," Santomenna smoothly interjects, "but I thought it would be fun to play around with it. . .see why anyone would want to steal a dinghy.
That Marco would choose to base the story on a stolen dinghy came as no surprise to anyone in the Santomenna family. Joan Santomenna laughingly explains that she and her husband, Roland, "have 120 years of sailing experience between them." His father and other aunts and uncles have been on the water since they were little, and Marco has been calling boats of all shapes and sizes a second home since he was 3 years old.
"I like the freedom of being on the water," the Toms River resident says, "sailing along, going wherever the wind takes us. There's just something special about being out on the water.
The same could be said of the Caribbean, which has been a home-away-from home of sorts for the elder Santomennas for the past 16 years. From about January to May for each of those years, the couple has called home the Glory B, their 40 foot sailboat which is docked in St. Thomas.
The sailboat's name, Santomenna says with a laugh, came about when Mr. Santomenna was told by his wife that the family could afford to buy the boat. "He said, "Glory B!" Santomenna, recalls, her blue eyes twinkling in delight at the memory. "And the name just kind of stuck."
Over the years, Marco has found his way down to the boat about six times, the most recent trip about two years ago.
"The water is just so crisp and clear," he says, "it's like another world."
A world where a young boy's fertile imagination can create pirates sailing the seas; a world where a young boy can save the day.
"It definitely gave me a foundation for the story," Marco says. "It was a great blend of fact and fiction."
When grandmother and grandson first started tinkering with the story, there was no great plan. Publishing the tale as a book wasn't even on the radar.
"Its just something that we would do when we had some free time," Santomenna says.
"I would jot down ideas and when I'd go over to my grandmother's house, we'd discuss them," Marco adds. "It was just a hobby, something we were doing for ourselves."
Sitting on the porch of the Beachwood house on the Toms River the elder Santomennas have called home for five years, it's easy to see the grandson and grandmother connection. Both are outgoing and affable. They share a love of the water and writing. One easily finishes off the other's thoughts.
"We work well together," Santomenna says, giving her fifth-oldest grandson a hug. "We're a good team."
The team worked so well, in fact, that by the end of 2001, the "little tale" had blossomed into a 100-page story. The next logical step, the two decided was to turn the story into a book. Although rebuffed by a number of publishers, the pair refused to be defeated, especially after friends read the book and were delighted by the tale. If no one was willing to take a chance on them, they would take a chance on themselves.
So Windspirit Publishing was created and "Caribbean Capers" became its first offering. Santomenna made contact with two distributors, National Book Network and Quality Books, and also arranged distribution in the Caribbean through West Indies Wholesale.
"There was not difficulty marketing the books in the Virgin Islands says Santomenna, who returned from her seasonal jaunt in Early May, "They sold like little hotcakes."
And why not?
Geared for ages 9-14, Caribbean Capers" is a page-turning adventure about four boys from diverse cultures who overcome personal problems and unite to solve mysteries and prevent the theft of a nuclear submarine (with a little help from some adults). Add some pirates, hidden caves, secret rooms and a little history, and you have a real page-turner.
"I think it's a great story, especially for boys," Santomenna says, "but then again, I'm a little biased.
Others, though, share Santomenna's enthusiasm.
Dan Trivett, youth services librarian for the Ocean County Library, asked to write a blurb for the story, calling it "a wonderful and enchanting adventure for all ages. This is a fun tale that will encourage children to use their imaginations on every page."
And that, Marco says, is exactly what he and his "Oma" hoped to accomplish.
"I love books, I love reading," he says. "If a book can take me on an adventure, then I'm hooked…and I think that's what we've accomplished with "Caribbean Capers."
Before Marco can finish answering a question about another collaboration, Santomenna pipes in.
"I've a great idea," she says, barely able to contain her enthusiasm. " Let me tell you about it later."
Rolling his eyes in exaggerated exasperation, Marco breaks into a smile.
"I wonder what our next adventure is going to be," he says. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be fun."
To Page One
Joan is the Grandma
Marco, her 18 year old grandson.
Marco, her 18 year old grandson.
Joan and Marco Santomenna
The Authors
of
Caribbean Capers
The Authors
of
Caribbean Capers
