Blog Posts - Books by Eric Douglas

Fictionalizing a real event: the Wreck of the USS Huron

July 21, 2012 By Eric Douglas

My fourth novel Wreck of the Huron is now available. It’s been nearly three years since I published my last novel (Guardian’s Keep) and it feels good to be back to telling stories again. But this story came with its own set of challenges. The incident that serves as the catalyst for the book is a real event.

The USS Huron is a real shipwreck located just a few hundred yards off shore in Nags Head, North Carolina. Most of Wreck of the Huron is set in the present day, but there are several scenes that are set in 1877 on board the ship on the day it sank. To tell that story and to make it as realistic as possible, I used quotes and the names and accounts from the men who survived the wreck. Those accounts were recorded in the PROCEEDINGS OF COURT OF INQUIRY ON THE LOSS OF THE HURON held by the NAVY DEPARTMENT, Washington DC, Wednesday, December 5, 1877. The wreck happened in the early morning hours on November 24, 1877.

Here is an excerpt for the account of the accident just as the ship ran aground, as retold in Wreck of the Huron:

With each wave that passed, the jarring of the hull against the bottom was lessened — only because the ship was run further aground and was lifted less and less.
“Stop the engines!” Ryan ordered from the bridge. “Palmer, find out if we still have steam in the boilers. I want to see if we can back her out of here before the hull gets holed.”
Master French pulled back on the throttle, signaling the engineer to stop the engines. Palmer left his station to yell down the hatch to the engine room below.
“Can you back her, engineer?” Palmer asked.
“We’ve got full steam on all the engines. Yes, we can,” Chief Engineer Loomis replied.
“Make it happen, Mr. Loomis,” Palmer ordered.
“Mr. French, save the ship’s log. We’ve probably foundered on Nags Head. Mr. Palmer, please sound the distress whistle. We’re going to need some help,” Ryan said, taking charge of the bridge. “Get all hands on deck and batten down the hatches. Get those sails lowered.”
Within moments, French reported back to the bridge that the captain’s office where the ship’s log was stored was filled with water, being on the starboard side.
“Very well,” Ryan acknowledged. “Lieutenant Simons, order the fore mast cut away, please. Maybe we can right this ship without the added weight.”
“I will make it happen immediately,” Simons said, leaving across the angled deck to organize the men. The Huron was over on her side, at about 40 degrees.

To be perfectly clear, aside from my own fertile imagination, the “mystery” around the sinking of the ship portrayed in this story is total fiction. These men died in service to their country and there has never been any suspicion of wrongdoing connected with the wreck. It was a tragic loss of life.
It is wrapped up in the local history of the Outer Banks of North Carolina that this wreck and one elsewhere a few months later persuaded Congress to fund the US Lifesaving Service year-round. At the time of the wreck the rescue boats and other equipment were locked up tight for the winter. That group eventually became the US Coast Guard.

The other historical setting for the story is the situation in Cuba at the time of the wreck. Cuba was in the midst of the first Cuban Revolution against Spain. They had been fighting for nine years at that point, finally calling a truce in 1878. This revolution helped bring about an end to slavery on the island eight years later. Cuba did not gain independence for Spain until the end of the Spanish American War in 1898.

In some ways writing a story like this with that sort of historical backdrop is difficult. While some authors have been known to take liberties with historical events, move things around and change dates and locations, I wanted to keep this story as close to the truth as I could. Obviously, I had to manufacture characters and scenarios. That’s the fun part of writing fiction. But I wanted it to be as true to what really happened as possible.

If you’re interested, you can read the first two chapters of Wreck of the Huron on my website. Unfortunately, neither of those chapters includes any of the historical references I’ve been talking about. To get to that part of the book, you’ll just have to get a copy for yourself.

If you do, I hope you find the mixture of real history and imagination as much fun to read as I enjoyed writing it..

The challenge of writing fiction

July 17, 2012 By Eric Douglas

Final review on Wreck of the Huron

When I tell people that I’m a writer, I usually get a reaction of “I wish I could do that” or “When are you going to get a real job” or some variation on the theme of “I hate to write. Writing is such a chore.”

Let me set the record straight: for those of us who call ourselves writers, be it full time or something we do “on the side” writing is work and it is a chore. It’s just a chore that we choose to take on and a challenge we accept. There are days it sings and it is so much fun. There are also days where you feel like you’re beating your head against a wall.

A less dramatic response, and one I’ve used from time to time is “It helps keep the voices in my head quiet.” That usually gets a half-laugh in response until they look me in the eye and see that I’m not really laughing with them.

I wrote my first novel in 2004 and it was published in 2005. It was the first fiction I’d ever written. A couple more novels followed along with some short stories. Frankly, I think I’ve gotten better at telling “stories” with each book I’ve written. And the act of writing the short stories has helped me refine my craft as well. My last novel was published in the fall of 2009. For various reasons, I lost the fiction spark after that.

In 2010, I had the pleasure of exhibiting a collection of my photographs from Russia in Russia, France and in the United States (including my hometown). That year I also got involved with a documentary project on Harvesting Divers in Honduras and elsewhere around the world. If you look back in this blog, to posts from 2010, you’ll see a lot of travel and thought went into those projects. At the same time, I was going through some personal changes that had me distracted to say the least.

I’ve found that fiction spark again, while not forgetting my documentary/journalism passion. A friend told me recently that she checks this blog from time to time to see what I’ve been up to. She noted that my posts lately have been all over the map. My response was “Welcome to my world…” I’ve got three fiction projects that I am in the final stages with right now. They’ll all be coming out very soon.

Probable cover for the new novel

Wreck of the Huron is my latest novel. It follows Mike Scott on a new adventure that begins on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and ends up off the coast of Cuba. This story will be available in the next couple weeks. I’m planning a couple book signing/release parties as soon as it comes out.
Decisions on a Small Plane is a short story I’ve written for my church to help begin the discussion about salvation and prayer. The plan is for this short story to be posted on the church’s website and be free for anyone who wants to download it or link to it. It should be available in the next week or two. I will post the links when they are available. Also, I’ve just started a discussion with a friend about making the story into a short film.
Racing for Miss Jayne Marie is a short story I’ve written as part of an anthology project called River Town I’m working on with some writer friends. I’ll talk more about it later, but this anthology is set in a fictional place called River Town in 1890s West Virginia. I’ve written period sections in my novels, but this is the first project that is entirely about a “period” other than present day. I’m really excited how this project is beginning to shape up. This project should be done by the end of the year, but we’ll see how it goes.

I’ve not forgotten the Voices of War documentary project, either. My plan is to have the interviews transcribed and the documentary edited together by Veterans Day, November 11, 2012. I’ve got a few more interviews to conduct and then it is time to begin putting it all together.

Should be a busy summer and fall…welcome to my world. Glad I like to tell stories. And it does seem to keep the voices mostly quiet… 😉.

Gone fishin’

July 11, 2012 By Eric Douglas

I wonder from time to time if my girls realize how lucky they are to have “nature” all around them with such easy access. And I don’t mean jaw-dropping examples of nature like the New River Gorge. Or Snowshoe and Canaan. Or Dolly Sods or…well, you get the picture. West Virginia is full of places like that. People travel hundreds of miles to experience them.

But the great thing about living here is you can find places to get away from civilization for a few hours just down the road. Call it backyard nature for want of a better term.

Last week my dad suggested we take a day and go fishing. He had stumbled on an example of backyard nature that would be a perfect place. We agreed to meet at Wine Cellar Park Lake in Dunbar. I hate to admit it, but I didn’t know this lake existed and I grew up less than 10 minutes away from it.

When we parked I still wasn’t sure where the lake was. It was that well-hidden. Much to my surprise there was an asphalt trail leading almost all the way to the water. The trail sloped gently upward as it followed along a small creek with light dappling through the trees overhead. A number of small bridges crossed back and forth over the water as we worked our way up. At the top of the dam, there were benches, a gazebo and a dock out over the water to make it incredibly easy to cast a line in the water. And we were totally alone there. Just the four of us. Well, okay, there were some frogs laughing at us and a few fish that were more interested in nibbling than biting, but that was it.

A light, occasional breeze stirred the surface of the lake and pushed cattails around while fluffy clouds cruised overhead. The temperature had finally dropped off after last week’s triple-digit heat making it a perfect day to be out by the water. My older daughter was more interested in fishing on this day, but they both enjoy it from time to time. And it was a lot of fun to see the three of them (my daughters and my dad) standing shoulder-to-shoulder with lines in the water. We all talked back and forth, not really worrying about being “quiet” like hardcore anglers. The day was partly about fishing and partly about being outside together.

My daughters are no different than most kids today and a lot of people in general. It’s easier to stay inside. We have every sort of entertainment imaginable. Video games, television and DVR, and the internet—not to mention old-fashioned games and books. It’s cool and comfy, especially when the weather seems to be getting hotter and more unsettled (Call it global warming or climate change or whatever, but these aren’t the summers and winters I remember as a kid.) In the interest of complete disclosure, I wrote this sitting outside on the patio, with a computer tablet on my lap. At least I was outside…

When we stay inside and watch television, we miss so much. Backyard nature is one of the real upsides to living in West Virginia and, for me, it’s something to rediscover. Unfortunately for some people, maybe that familiarity really does breed contempt. It wasn’t bad, but there was some litter on the ground around this pretty little lake as well. My dad and I made a point of telling the girls we were going to take away everything we brought in and a little more, too. I always try to do that wherever I go; whether it is a coral reef or from the bottom of lake or some litter on the street. I’m not fanatical about it, but I try to pick up a little litter and throw it away when I can. I’d much rather not find any in the first place, of course.

Nature is everywhere around us in West Virginia. Second to the people, it is our greatest resource. You can argue about coal or natural gas or other resources from under the ground, and they are all very important, but I want to keep, preserve and continue to share the natural resources of nature around us with my girls.

I can definitely see going back to this little lake for a few hours in the not-too-distant future to have some fun and enjoy time outdoors. If not there, then you’ll definitely find me outside somewhere..

Courage, on the 4th and every day

July 4, 2012 By Eric Douglas

Did you know John Adams, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, thought July 2nd would be celebrated to honor the founding of the United States? Me either.

The Second Continental Congress voted to approve the resolution of independence on July 2. The next day John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail:

“The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.”

The Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence itself on July 4 and that date was included on the document. And the rest is history.

Regardless of the actual date, it took amazing courage for our founding fathers to stand up and rebel against King George and Great Britain. They were overmatched, out-gunned and had nothing to fall back on. If they had failed, I can only imagine how much worse things would have gotten for the colonists.

About the same time, Irish statesman, philosopher and member of the British Parliament Edmund Burke is supposed to have said “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.” The only thing, no one can find where he actually “wrote” that anywhere. It’s possible he said it in a speech. Others believe that the quotation is a modern paraphrasing of things he was saying at the time.

While those were scary and difficult times, modern Americans have faced similar challenges. Over the last several months, I’ve been interviewing American war veterans about their experiences. I’m collecting oral histories and plan to compile the thoughts of these men (and hopefully women) into a documentary project about those who have served their country in time of war. I’ve had the honor and privilege of interviewing men who fought in every conflict the United States has been involved in over the last 70 years as part of this effort.

You can find links to those previous veterans blogs, here.

Of the interviews I’ve conducted, I don’t think I’ve talked to a soldier who: A) considered himself a hero; B) regretted his service or C) would hesitate to do it again if called upon. Even the ones who were drafted still know the pride of serving their country when they were needed.

As a nation, we faced one of the most trying times in the last 50 years with the terrorist attacks in New York and in Washington DC and our servicemen have risen to that challenge. At home, we had to pull together and support each other. We had to figure out a new normal for life.

Follow this link to the blog about visiting the 9/11 memorial in NYC.

Serving your country and standing up against evil doesn’t necessarily require holding a rifle. Many of the founding fathers who signed the Declaration of Independence didn’t actively fight in the American Revolution with a musket in their hands. They served their country in other ways; as statesmen, as publishers and leaders.

Then as now, the issue is still the same. We have the choice to stand up and take action to face evil where we see it in the world, the same way veterans of World War II did when they faced down Hitler on one front and the Japanese on the other. The same way American servicemen have fought to make a difference for the people of Afghanistan and Iraq.

A day like Independence Day (be it on July 2 or July 4) is an important time to reflect on the price of freedom. The price of standing up against evil. The saying “Freedom isn’t free” was no more true 200+ years ago than it is today.

Enjoy your family today; celebrate the Fourth of July as the peak of summer. Have a cook-out. Eat too much food and enjoy fireworks tonight. But stop to think about the people who have made the United States what it is. Say thank you to someone who has served to fight against evil in the world if you can, or whisper a prayer for them if you can’t.

Today, and every day, our flag still flies and represents everything great this country stands for.

Update: On July 4th, a reporter stopped by my in-law’s house and wanted to talk to us about celebrating the holiday, in spite of the severe storms we had just endured. You can see the story and video here. (They misspelled my name.).

Waiting for the electric to flow

July 2, 2012 By Eric Douglas

About 72 hours ago, West Virginia, parts of Ohio and Virginia got hit by a derecho (I had no idea there was a word for it) with straight line winds of nearly 80 miles per hour. It toppled trees, downed power lines and generally made a mess of the place.

The biggest upside to not having any power has been that I have seen an incredible number of fireflies the last few nights. The neighborhood has been totally dark. The downsides are obvious. As a culture we just aren’t set up to survive without electricity. Our homes are built around it.

On Saturday, I was thinking that I was proud of how people were pulling together. There were no disaster stories of people screaming for FEMA and looking for someone to help them. Since then, unfortunately, I’ve heard a few stories of people acting selfish, stealing generators or even throwing spoiled food on electric company workers trying to restore power. I’m sure those are isolated cases. They are definitely not representative of the people I’ve run across. It raises the question in my mind that since there is a federal state of emergency, does committing a crime such as stealing a generator become a federal crime?

On the whole though, I’ve been impressed. The situation has been difficult, but people have pulled together and helped each other out. And that has made me very proud of my neighbors, in the broadest sense of the term. Republican, democrat, whatever, it hasn’t mattered these last few days. People are doing what they can for each other.

Every time I see a power company truck, either local or out of state, I give them a thumbs up and say thank you when I can. Those guys are working their tails off. We tried to cook them some hotdogs for lunch today but couldn’t find any unspoiled.

As I said, I’m proud of my fellow West Virginians. In tough times, it is all about helping each other.

Update: Just a few hours after posting this, my power came back on. I was extremely grateful, but am still very aware that others are still without power, nearly seven days later. It is a long, slow, difficult process and I am still praying for the men and women who are working in extreme heat to get everyone back on the grid.

Connecting to water around us

June 29, 2012 By Eric Douglas

The last few days, I’ve seen the saying being posted on Facebook “Saltwater is the cure for everything. Sweat, tears or the sea.” I’ve seen it before, but I couldn’t agree more. Whenever I get near the ocean, I immediately I feel my heart slow down and my face breaks into a grin. When I’m away from it for too long, I feel the tension in my shoulders.

I recently wrote about my experiences taking my first-ever cruise. Even though we were “on” the ocean, I just didn’t feel the connection. That was until the ship stopped in St. Maarten and I got in the water and rode around the island on a catamaran. I could feel the wind in my hair and the boat rise and fall with the waves. That’s when I realized what I’d been missing. On the last day before we pulled into port, the cruise ship encountered a nor’easter off North Carolina. I spent several hours that day outside on the lowest deck I could find just watching the waves and reveling in the blue of the ocean and the churn of the sea foam. I could feel “my” ocean. I will say, though, the sunset out on the ocean like that are spectacular.

As I’ve traveled, I’ve always (mostly unconsciously) looked for water and tried to connect with it wherever I was. On my first visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, I climbed down to the water’s edge to touch the Gulf of Finland. I tasted it on my fingers to see if it was any different. It’s not all about the ocean, though. I still enjoy going to Summersville Lake in West Virginia where I first learned to scuba dive to blow some bubbles. No, they aren’t the most exciting dives in the world, but it’s still a chance to make that connection to water.

Two acquaintances of mine are doing tremendous work when it comes to demonstrating the importance of water in our daily lives.

Annie Crawley is an underwater photographer who has carved out her niche as an educator, speaker and author on the ocean. She developed Dive Into Your Imagination as a way to spur kids into caring about and understanding the ocean. She has created books and CDs for children (and adults) to help them connect with the ocean on a personal level. Follow Dive Into Your Imagination on Facebook as well.
Jill Heinerth is an underwater explorer, cave diver and filmmaker. She recently created the We Are Water Project to help others understand the connectedness of our water supplies and the world around us. She is developing a documentary on the water systems we use daily to help us all understand that our water doesn’t just come out of a faucet, but it comes from deep inside our planet and it is a finite resource. Jill, by the way, has actually dived inside many of those aquifers and underground streams and can show you amazing imagery of the water beneath your feet. Follow We Are Water Project on Facebook.

As I write this, I’ve just come back from spending the afternoon at the pool with my kids, taking some time to relax in the water. Its 100 degrees and just about insufferable to be outside if you aren’t up to your nose in water. At a time when freshwater supplies and drying up or being used up—the Colorado River no longer regularly makes it to the Gulf of California, for example—and droughts parch the southwestern United States among other places around the world, I’m growing concerned that our connection to water might just be failing. As Jill Heinerth says, “Our bodies are 70 percent water and our planet is 70 percent water. We are water.”

Get out and appreciate the water around you. Connect with it. Love it. Spend time with it. It doesn’t matter if the water you love is a river, a lake or the ocean. It’s all important. Ultimately, what you know and love, you will work to protect.