It's a novel that combines a land swindle, crooked cops, drug deals,
Colombian death squads, and a hurricane, all played out on an Island off the
Belizean coast. That's the potent brew of elements that John Alexander Watler
has put together for his latest novel, "Sea Lotto." The novel, published
by Print Belize was launched today at the company's new Belize City headquarters
and Watler told us that the story picks up when the young Belizean American
heir to an island finds a misplaced drug drop.
John Alexander Watler,
“He wanted to see this island so he goes out on a trip there. And
while he is out there you know he is having a nice time and they catch barracuda
and king fish and made a big boil-up and enjoy themselves. And while he was
asleep the companion took a walk up the beach and they hit the Sea Lotto while
walking.”
Jules Vasquez,
Explain what that means?
John Alexander Watler,
“Well the two guys found three huge bales of cocaine and they buried
them in the sand and they marked the spot but they brought out two packets with
them to test the market, so the speak, and that was like 2 in the afternoon
and by 2 in the night they were both dead.”
Jules Vasquez,
Is there an underlying theme in here? Is there a message? Is there a morale?
Or is it just a great romp of a story?
John Alexander Watler,
[Laughing] “Don’t mess with drugs. When you find the Sea Lotto
out there just a machete and chop it up so it sinks to the bottom of the sea.
You will be safer.”
Lawrence Nicholas, Print Belize
“John Watler is a renowned writer and I believe that this is one of
his better works in terms of the Sea Lotto. The attraction to Sea Lotto is obviously
the message that ‘Say no to drugs.’ I think that is one of the message
that is resounding in Sea Lotto. Of course Print Belize works closely with artists.”