My first Octopus Fiction

[Tui Allen]

I write fiction about marine creatures and publish it to help improve human understanding and respect for marine life, while also entertaining the reader. My dolphin novel was very successful worldwide (and had some octopuses in it), but it's success was partly because I asked a dolphin biologist to check it first for scientific accuracy.
Now I have written a short story about an octopus. I am preparing it for publication too. I want the environment and all the biology portrayed to be as accurate as possible. I only use my imagination for aspects we could not possibly know, like what might be going on inside the minds of the beings who populate my stories and even there I only dream up things that might be true. For example, I don't have octopuses thinking about their family members, like dolphins do, because I know that octopuses are USUALLY solitary animals. (I have recently heard some are not though and find this very intriguing.)
I'm hoping to find someone through this website to check my latest short octopus story for scientific accuracy before I publish it, so I can make alterations where they are needed if I have got anything wrong, or described anything that could not happen. Is there a kindly octopus scientist around who might agree to help me in this way? I'm happy to post the story here or send it by email or whatever suits the person doing the reading.
I'm more than happy to send it to more than one person. The more input I get the better. I'm not looking for praise! I'm looking for keen-eyed fault-finders. I don't want praise until after I publish. Now is the time to find what needs fixing. The story is under 5000 words so not a long read.
If you are interested in my dolphin novel it is here:
"Ripple - a Dolphin Love Story."

 

[Nancy]

Good idea to have someone check it for scientific accuracy. It might also be valuable to have home octopus keepers look at it, because they spend a lot of time with their octopuses. Your story promises to be very interesting!

Nancy

 

[DWhatley]

I'd love to participate, check your conversations for an email address.


Here is a bit of info and some article links on the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus, the species you have heard about that commonly lives in groups. For a diving story (along with article links further documenting the site) on octopuses found living together in the wild check out this adventure by @jugglematt. Unlike the the Larger Pacific Striped Octopus this species (O. gibbsi ) is not typically known for living in close proximity.

 

[Nancy]

I’d be interested, too.

Nancy

 

[Tui Allen]

I checked out that diving adventure. Thank-you! This is the kind of thing that is great inspiration for fiction. I have heard divers before describing friendships existing between underwater species that might normally be enemies. Like a grouper who demonstrated true friendship with a moray eel. I will try to find your email address. The story I have written is also about a cross-species friendship and crops up a lot in my work.
Perhaps I can just attach the story to a reply here on this thread.
Now to work out how to get the story to you both.