Linda Mar

Kelp Journal Issue 13

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In the fall of 2024, I attended a California Writers’ Club meeting in Pacific Grove, CA. My friend David Harris—president of the San Francisco Peninsula branch and a fellow member of my critique group—was there to share his wisdom on getting published with the Pacific Grove crew. I landed a front-row seat and struck up a conversation with a guy, David Olsen, two chairs down who wrote horror and mystery. He asked what I wrote.

When I said I was working on a collection of surf stories, along with pieces about AI and robots, he lit up. “I like surf stories,” he said. Turns out, he was the editor-in-chief of Kelp Journal, a literary magazine based in Pebble Beach.

I later submitted a piece called Time to Surf, inspired by a moment surfing the Pump Station break at Pacifica State Beach. I’m thrilled to share that the story has been accepted and was just published in Issue 13, which was released this month.

Check it out on Amazon and Kindle here.

My Hula Girl published in Noyo Review

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Noyo Review is the literary journal of the Mendocino Coast Writers’ Conference, an annual gathering of writers held on the beautiful Mendocino Coast of northern California.

I started the story while studying at the Writers Studio San Francisco. It was inspired by Jennifer Egan’s opening story in her novel, A Visit from the Goon Squad. “My Hula Girl” is about a grieving man whose treasured memento of his late wife sparks a conflict that forces him to confront his loss, his identity, and the lengths he’ll go to defend what little he has left.

Read the story here.

Dog Days of Summer

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The waves have been small in the dog days. Fires burn the state and cast a faint filter on coastal light bringing fall into focus a shade early.  Our street is strewn with red and yellow leaves. I’m betting on an early winter but I have been wrong the past three years.

Got a few waves this week.  Check it out.

Solstice Sunset SUP Surfing

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My son, Matthew, and I surfed into sunset on summer solstice.  We used to do this every year, but I wasn’t surfing last year, or the seven preceding years for that matter.  But then I got into SUP.  Then SUP surfing.  So Matthew and I planned an outing for Tuesday evening, not realizing that the actual solstice was Monday, but hey, we were close.

We got in the water about 7:30, and got out just before 9.  The sun had set, and we had wide grins.  My wife, Donna, was there to greet her lads.  Matthew, by the way, had never surfed a SUP, but he’s a fitness trainer at Empowered Fitness, has great balance, used to surf a long board with grace and agility, and boy did he take to SUP Surfing like a duck to water.  Check it out.

 

SOLSTICE SUP SURFING from Tom Adams on Vimeo.

Big Board Busy

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I’ve been busy, and tired, and edgy for waves.  Not the gigantic wind chop slop that’s come day after day.   I’ve needed rest, but only as a last resort, when the caffeine and the chocolate have run their course and left me deflated, eyes flapping in a wind of to dos.

My posts have been pushed past the end of the day then placed on the shelf where they just gather dust.  But this morning the wind stopped, the swell dropped, and the sun came out.  There was time to take out my big board for some much needed play.

Caught a few waves, recharged my battery, now ready for a 21-day cleanse that starts tomorrow with no caffeine, sugar, gluten, dairy, or alcohol.  What’s left, you might ask.  Fruit, veggies, lean meat, fresh fish, almond butter, humus, and lots and lots of water.

So if you have a minute, check out my play time.

Linda Mar Small Waves Big Board from Tom Adams on Vimeo.

African SUP

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It’s been at least two weeks since I stepped foot in the surf.  The waves have been large and unruly but it rained which is good. My ten week workshop with the San Francisco Writers Studio has been fulfilling. This class ends Tuesday. I signed up for the next one which starts in two weeks. Between now and then I plan to publish some of the work I’ve done in the class.

Yesterday I got wet and it solidified the notion that SUP days are better than others.  Even though I lost my footing more than once, I caught waves and paddled the length of the beach. After an hour session I left the water with a clear head and sore muscles.

So why the title African SUP?  Watch the one minute video: It’s the music.

 

State of Mind: Reflective

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A few years ago I thought my surfing days were behind me.  Bad back, torn shoulder.  But the beach was still a place of joy.  A place to walk along the shore, take a few photos, get sand between my toes.

I shot this image into our beach-front Taco Bell on one of those days.  Pedro Point and people chowing on tacos shows through while a solitary surfer reflects back.

I’ve surfed twice the past week.  On a Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) and am so grateful that a board is under my feet again.  Every day I wake to check out the surf.  And from time to time get to ride on it.

State of Mind-1

State of Mind