# John Hamilton's ISLE ROYALE--Rip-Roaring Action/Adventure



## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

*Shipwrecks, gangsters, and the mother of all storms. Living in a lighthouse can be murder.*











ISLE ROYALE $2.99 for Kindle

The year is 1924. The place: Isle Royale, a remote island on Lake Superior. Clarence MacDougal, keeper of Wolf Point Lighthouse, stands ready to guide sailors through treacherous waters.

One storm-tossed night, French-Canadian bootleggers arrive. The gang's leader is Sean LeBeck, a former lover of Collene MacDougal-the lightkeeper's wife. LeBeck is determined to rescue Collene from her dreary life and rekindle their old passion, even if it means taking her off the island by force.

The lightkeeper's son, Ian, escapes during the storm, only to stumble upon a hidden cove, home of the last remaining members of the Coast Guard cutter _Chippewa_. A dark secret forced the crew to banish themselves. Given one last chance for redemption, the ancient mariners set out on stormy Lake Superior in a desperate attempt to save the day.

_Isle Royale_ is approximately 72,000 words.

*What readers are saying:*
_"Filled with suspense, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough to find out what happened next."

"The book is a fun, fast, read full of phantoms, mysteries, old pirates and young adventure with a delicious feel for life on a Great Lake island and the life of lightkeepers. As I was reading the book it reminded me of my youth and some of the wonderful Disney-type adventure stories. Suitable for Young Adults but lots of fun for grown-ups, too."

"This story makes North Shore history come alive."

"This story just pulled me in from the start, and I felt like I was right there in the wind and rain with Ian and Sally. I loved the way the story developed, and the ending made me smile."

"This was an enjoyable, quick read novel set in a delightful place. It certainly is filled with action - there's hardly room to breathe between scenes, especially during the last quarter of the novel. The kids are quite delightful - and are having to grow up fast. The novel reminded me of works by Stanley Gordon West, another Minnesotan who writes wonderfully of teens growing up."

"Author John Hamilton paints such a vivid picture with his words that it is easy to see the story unfolding in the mind's eye. There is some serious action, but the book is just plain fun."

"A rip-roaring historical adventure set in the delightfully unusual setting of Lake Superior's Isle Royale. Hamilton's love for the locale comes shining through."_

_Click here to order for Amazon Kindle, just $2.99!_









*About the Author:*
John Hamilton is a bestselling author and journalist. His work includes books about fantasy & folklore, science fiction, national parks, and pirates. _Lewis & Clark: Adventures West_ (Sparrow Media Group) was a finalist at the 17th Annual Minnesota Book Awards in 2005. He is a two-time Golden Duck Award winner for excellence in children's science fiction literature. John can be found most summers hiking along Minnesota's North Shore. He is also an award-winning photojournalist and nature photographer. Connect with John online at: http://johnchamilton.com


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## Karly Kirkpatrick (Dec 13, 2010)

Congrats on the book, John!  We're trying to get a group of YA indie authors together to help cross-promote each others books.  We've got a thread going in the Writer's Cafe.  Come stop by!


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Karly Kirkpatrick said:


> Congrats on the book, John! We're trying to get a group of YA indie authors together to help cross-promote each others books. We've got a thread going in the Writer's Cafe. Come stop by!


Sounds great, Karly. Count me in!


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## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

Sounds like a neat book. I had a friend who spent a summer working at the lodge on Isle Royale.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Joel Arnold said:


> Sounds like a neat book. I had a friend who spent a summer working at the lodge on Isle Royale.


Oh, wow, that would be so great! It must have been at Rock Harbor, yes? I spent a week backpacking alone on the island doing research, mostly near McCargoe Cove, where a lot of the action in the book occurs. My last night was at Rock Harbor. A hot meal never tasted so good.


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## Joel Arnold (May 3, 2010)

John Hamilton said:


> Oh, wow, that would be so great! It must have been at Rock Harbor, yes? I spent a week backpacking alone on the island doing research, mostly near McCargoe Cove, where a lot of the action in the book occurs. My last night was at Rock Harbor. A hot meal never tasted so good.


That would be the place! I've never been there, but would love to go some day. The whole thing about the moose and wolf populations there is pretty fascinating.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Joel Arnold said:


> That would be the place! I've never been there, but would love to go some day. The whole thing about the moose and wolf populations there is pretty fascinating.


When I was backpacking, I saw plenty of moose, but only heard the wolves howling at night. Pretty neat.

I was surprised to find out that wolves didn't show up on the island until the late 1940s. Since my novel takes place in the '20s, I couldn't have any roaming around. I found a way to incorporate that into the book, though. In this passage, a Norwegian fisherman muses about the herds of moose overpopulating the island:

_Nature, Ollhoff knew, always finds a way to even things out. Just last winter, he'd heard tell that the lake had frozen so hard it nearly created an ice bridge to the Minnesota shoreline. Packs of wolves were seen prowling the ice, sniffing the air, howling, frustrated at the maddeningly narrow stretch of water separating them from the fat herds of moose on the island. Sooner or later, Ollhoff knew, a deep freeze would hit, bridging the gap. Then, the wolves would feast like kings._


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Welcome to KindleBoards, John, and congratulations on your book.

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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Thanks, Ann!  I promise I'll behave.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

I want to take my weekly bump opportunity to wish everybody a merry Christmas, and a very happy new year!  Thanks to everyone who downloaded "Isle Royale" during its debut week.  And if you received a shiny new Kindle for Christmas, I hope you'll consider this tale of adventure.  Merry Christmas, everyone!


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

A little lighthouse history for you folks today. This is a photo I took at Split Rock Lighthouse, in northern Minnesota along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Following is an excerpt from "Isle Royale." For my fictional lighthouse, I used Split Rock as a model. All the info is true (except for the part about being on Isle Royale!)










High in the lamp room, rough hands buffed and polished a section of brasswork surrounding the lighthouse lens, rubbing methodically until the brass gleamed like daylight. Clarence MacDougal stood back, satisfied at last with his work. A smile slowly crept onto his weathered, red-bearded face. Everything was in order.

The four-ton lighthouse lens rotated on an enormous pedestal six feet above the floor. Imported from Paris, the bi-valve Fresnel lens floated on a bearing surface of liquid mercury. Hundreds of glass prisms, both reflecting and refracting, and assembled by hand inside the lighthouse, focused the blinding white light and sent a 450,000 candlepower beam shooting out into the murky night.

Wolf Point Light was one of the first to use an incandescent oil vapor lamp, a technological innovation making it one of the most powerful of the more than four hundred lighthouses on the Great Lakes. Filtered kerosene, brought up daily from a special storage shed next to the lighthouse, was poured into a single brass fuel assembly tank bolted just under the lens assembly. The kerosene was pumped by hand each night until enough air pressure was created to keep the light burning all night. The fuel itself was vaporized by a Bunsen burner flame and, together with specially made mantles housing the flame, made a pure white light that was blinding to the naked eye.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

_Isle Royale_ received its first reader review today, 5-stars!

ISLE ROYALE $.99 on Kindle


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

My new banner ad for ISLE ROYALE.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

I have a nice author interview today over at "The Indie Spotlight," talking about _Isle Royale_. Check it out!
http://www.theindiespotlight.com/?p=4144


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Another 5-star review for _Isle Royale_!

ISLE ROYALE $.99 on Kindle


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## MonkeyScribe (Jan 27, 2011)

Sounds interesting, I'll take a look. As you can see from The Devil's Deep in my signature, I have a thing about books set on or around the water. There's something wonderful, yet alien about islands and the sea.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

MichaelWallace said:


> Sounds interesting, I'll take a look. As you can see from The Devil's Deep in my signature, I have a thing about books set on or around the water. There's something wonderful, yet alien about islands and the sea.


I totally agree! Interesting fact about Isle Royale: according to the Park Service, Ryan Island on Isle Royale's Siskiwit Lake is the largest island on the largest lake on the largest island on the largest freshwater lake in the world. That makes my brain hurt thinking about it.

Thanks for checking out my book. The Devil's Deep sounds like a thrilling tale as well!


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Here's an autumn shot I took of Split Rock Lighthouse, the model for _Isle Royale's_ lighthouse. If you ever find yourself on Minnesota's North Shore Drive, be sure to stop at the state park. It's a great place to experience history, not mention see some drop-dead-gorgeous scenery, even in crummy weather.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

I had a nice interview with Simon Royle published today on his blog, Indieview. Simon is an author himself, and a real champion of the indie movement. Check out my interview, where I talk about _Isle Royale_, writing, and indie publishing.

http://bit.ly/eMBscq


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Split Rock Lighthouse, along Minnesota's North Shore. This is the approach from the landward side, obviously. You go up those steps and then you overlook Lake Superior. It can get kinda nasty up there this time of year. This is the lighthouse that was my stand-in for Wolf Point Lighthouse in _Isle Royale_.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

The _Isle Royale_ cover gets a facelift.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

_Isle Royale_ appeared on Indie Books Blog today! http://bit.ly/ih6DZu


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Well, it looks like I'll be spending some time over spring break hiking along Minnesota's North Shore. Can't wait to get back up to my beloved northwoods!

Just messing around with Photoshop painting filters this morning. This is Split Rock lighthouse, just north of Two Harbors, MN, with Lake Superior in the background. This lighthouse was my inspiration for Wolf Point Lighthouse in _Isle Royale_.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Thanks to all my readers, and their kind comments.  You guys rock!


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

*Duluth Harbor North Breakwater Lighthouse*

Lake Superior was angry that day, my friends. By noon, I was staring down forty knots of wind, with dark seas and sky crying. An hour later, the wind was hard enough to blow dogs off chains.

This is North Breakwater Lighthouse, which guards the entrance to Duluth Harbor. It was built in 1910, and stands 44 feet tall.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

What readers are saying about _Isle Royale_:

5-star Amazon review:
A Fun Read
"I picked up "Isle Royale" because I enjoy historical fiction, and I sure wasn't disappointed. The story is about how a lighthouse on Isle Royale in Lake Superior, and the two families who live there and operate it. Trouble comes when a ruthless gang invades the island. The leader of the gang, who was driven mad in World War I, comes back seeking the woman he loved, now the wife of the lighthouse keeper. Two teenagers have to save the day. Very picturesque language, lots of action and drama, and historically accurate."


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

My interview at Indie Books Blog:

http://indiebooksblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/john-hamilton-saffina-desforges.html


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

I'm pleased to welcome Isle Royale as our KB Book of the Day!


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## Arclight (Jan 6, 2011)

Enjoyed Isle Royale. Will there be a sequel ??  I'll pass on your vampire book.


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Arclight said:


> Enjoyed Isle Royale. Will there be a sequel ?? I'll pass on your vampire book.


Thanks, Arclight. I do have a sequel in the works. After a stint in Europe, with WWII brewing, Ian comes back to Isle Royale to take over the lighthouse from the old man. Adventure ensues. Look for it later this year, hopefully.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

Thanks for being part of KindleBoards Book of the Day program, John!

Betsy


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Thanks for being part of KindleBoards Book of the Day program, John!
> 
> Betsy


Thank you, and Harvey too, for this opportunity. It's nice to have so many people taking a look at my novel. Thank you, wonderful readers!


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

We're pleased to welcome Isle Royale as our KB Book of the Day!


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## Alisha (Feb 20, 2011)

Your book sounds really wonderful, John. I'm enjoying all the pictures you have included in this thread, particularly the photo of the lighthouse taken in autumn! Beautiful! I love reading books of actual places. I'll be picking this up for sure! Congrats on your Book of the Day! I hope you sell a gozillion books!


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

Alisha said:


> Your book sounds really wonderful, John. I'm enjoying all the pictures you have included in this thread, particularly the photo of the lighthouse taken in autumn! Beautiful! I love reading books of actual places. I'll be picking this up for sure! Congrats on your Book of the Day! I hope you sell a gozillion books!


Thanks, Alisha, much appreciated! I'm glad you like the lighthouse photo. Split Rock Lighthouse is one of my favorite places in the world.


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## Betsy the Quilter (Oct 27, 2008)

We're pleased to welcome Isle Royale as our KB Book of the Day!


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

_Isle Royale_ received a 4+ rating today at the Syria Says indie author site. Woot! Syria wrote a really nice review. I thought she captured the flavor of the book perfectly. And her favorite character was my villain, LeBeck, which brought a huge grin to my face. 

http://www.syriasays.com/


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

_Isle Royale_ received a nice 4-star review today at BigAl's Books and Pals. Doing the happy dance. Check out the review here:

http://booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/06/isle-royale-john-hamilton.html


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

_Isle Royale_ received a wonderful review from author Kathleen Valentine today:

http://parlezmoiblog.blogspot.com/2011/09/isle-royale-by-john-hamilton-and-fare.html


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## John Hamilton (May 6, 2010)

_Isle Royale_ is free today and tomorrow (3/7 -- 3/ on the Amazon Kindle store. Get 'em while they're hot!

_"Living in a lighthouse can be murder."_


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