32 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY AUGUST 28-SEPTEMBER 3, 2025 www.montereycountynow.com LIT Dressed in an octopus-themed shirt, Luke Kilpatrick seems to embody energy and entrepreneurship. The Sand City-based scuba diver, photographer, surfer and boater, puzzle books creator, graphic designer and software developer finally found a way to employ all these talents. On this particular day he carries three volumes of Mia Kingtide’s Ocean Adventures, a series of books for children and young adults he authored, with ocean protection and marine biology as the main subject. The series’ heroine, a red-haired environmental enthusiast named Mia Kingtide, was 10 years old when the series began. She is based on Kilpatrick’s daughter—also named Mia, age 7—who is always the first reader and judge of Kingtide’s adventures. “These are our bedtime stories,” Kilpatrick says. Father and daughter drew inspiration from the Emily Windsnap series of mermaid books by Liz Kessler. But as Mia Kilpatrick observed, the mermaids live in the ocean but are so focused on their relationships that they don’t seem to see the ocean and its problems. Luke Kilpatrick decided to change that. He created Mia Kingtide, a girl who gets the gift of communicating with the sea creatures, and quickly released three volumes of the series, all in 2025 and self-published: The Octopus’s Gift, Guardian of the Coast and Journey to the Sea of Cortez. “I heard it’s best to publish the first three volumes quickly,” Kilpatrick says, adding he is working on the fourth. The series, which starts with Mia rescuing tangled sea life and cleaning up polluted waters, already has a following online. The seriousness and complexity of the plot grows with Mia—now 13 in the series. Older Mia loses her childhood gift, but addresses real issues, such as climate change, overfishing and habitat destruction. “One thing that is important to me is the positive outlook,” Kilpatrick says. “I’m not interested in the ‘world is going to end, everything goes to hell’ narrative. We want to create hope.” Kilpatrick is currently working with the Western Flyer Foundation, the guardian of the legendary fishing boat that took John Steinbeck and Ed Ricketts to the Sea of Cortez. (Mia Kingtide books were on board during the restored vessel’s recent journey back there.) When he is not writing, Kilpatrick manages his marine-themed vacation rental, The Ocean View in Sand City. The Mia Kingtide series can be purchased online. DANIEL DREIFUSS Ocean Rescue First-time author crafts a series of environmental adventures for young readers. By Agata Popęda Mia Kingtide’s Ocean Adventures creator, Luke Kilpatrick, on his boat, Pitter Patter, that is the vehicle of adventure both in the books and real life. The boat is available for rent. INDOOR AND OUTDOOR DINING AND TAKEOUT Eat + Drink BEACH HOUSE RESTAURANT + BAR @ LOVERS POINT ★ CASUAL CALIFORNIA DINING INDOOR & PATIO DAILY AT 4:30PM 620 OCEAN VIEW BLVD. PACIFIC GROVE 831-375-2345 • BEACHHOUSEPG.COM LOVERS POINT BEACH CAFE OPEN DAILY, 9AM–4PM ’24 Best Restaurant in Pacific Grove Monterey’s MOST Recommended Pizzeria Open at 4pm Mon-Thurs • Open at 3pm Fri Open at 12pm Sat.& Sun. 725 Lighthouse Ave, Monterey giannispizzamonterey.com 831-649-1500 Best Pizza ’98-’24 ’24 BEST RESTAURANT IN MONTEREY! JOIN US NIGHTLY FOR DINNER AT 4:30PM TWO HAPPY HOURS DAILY 4:30-6PM & 8-9PM 3-Course Early Menu, $49, 4:30-6pm Daily Call or go to sardinefactory.com for details, reservations. 701 Wave Street, Monterey, 831-373-3775 Fisherman’s Wharf’s Newest Restaurant Serving Fresh Seafood, Pasta, Steaks, Sandwiches Open Daily at 11:30am Great views at the end of the Wharf #1 www.rockfishmonterey.com • 831.324.4375 57 Fisherman’s Wharf, Monterey 831-373-1851 www.abalonetti.com ’24 LUNCH & DINNER SERVED DAILY from 11:30am-8:30pm Monterey County’s Best Calamari Indoor and Outdoor Dining on the Dog Friendly Patio Tapas (Happy) Hour 4:30–6pm Nightly Saturday & Sunday Brunch 9am–1:30pm 700 Munras Ave., Monterey | 831-375-0176 | estebanrestaurant.com ’24 Best Appetizers/ Small Plates OPEN EVERYDAY for DINNER at 4:30pm Offering all your favorites plus wine, cocktails, bottle and draft beers. 763 Wave St., Monterey 831.373.3778 thewhalingstation.com ’24 Best Steak Wood Fired Pizzas, Burgers, Pasta, salads, sandWiches and more 11:30am mon-Fri, 10am Sat & Sun melvilletav.com 484 Washington St., Downtown Monterey 831.643.9525 haPPY hour Food & drinK sPecials Sun-Thurs 4-6pm WEEKEND BRUNCH WITH BOTTOMLESS MIMOSAS
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