Over the last four weeks or so, two new books were released. The second book in the Bo Avery series, ‘The Adventures of Bo Avery-Shanghaied’ is a continuation of Bo’s story when he reaches San Francisco. It took some time for this book to come out, but it’s now available in KINDLE and paperback formats.

My newest book is a departure from other stories I’ve written but still a historical fiction type book. The publisher asked a small group of authors to write some war related adventure type stories. I already had an unpublished short story of that type, so I decided to do some research and possibly expand and re-write the story. This story takes place in the Solomon Islands in 1939 as the war in Europe begins and the Japanese are at war in China and making inroads into the South Pacific and Indonesia. It’s called ‘The Voyage of the Island Girl – A wartime tale of the South Pacific’. It is currently available in the KINDLE format with the paperback version coming out in a few weeks.

I was in the Philippines and Indonesia in May for some diving. Very interesting place to visit. It’s inexpensive when you get there and you can get some cheap flight deals, but the flights are VERY long so if you can manage it, get upgraded seats so you can stretch out, lay flat and get some sleep.

I did dive the USS Liberty, a navy cargo vessel that was commissioned in 1918. It was used to transport horses to Europe in WW1 and was in the South Pacific in WWII. In January 1942 it was enroute to Australia with a cargo of rubber and railroad parts when the Japanese submarine I-66 put a torpedo into it. It was taking on water and was towed to Tulaben, Bali where it was beached. The cargo and fittings were salvaged, and it was left there. In 1963, Mount Agung erupted and in the ensuring earthquake, the USS Liberty slipped off the beach into deeper water, where it lies today. The water wasn’t very clear that day but here’s a few photos. The ship has broken up over the years and scattered over a wide area. It has extensive marine growth.