May 17th!

Just under three years ago, as I was planning the release of Treasure off the Coast. I drove up from the Florida Keys to meet with a National Park Ranger named Gary Bremen. I joined him on a boat tour of Biscayne National Park.

It was a place I knew, but one I’d forgotten much about. I’d spend summers and winters there when my father was Chief Ranger in Biscayne. But it had been more than a decade since I’d been out on the water in Biscayne Bay. (Id been fortunate enough to show off some of the sights to my family a few years previously, but we’d been stuck on land.)

I’d had concepts of a book set in Biscayne National Park. And I’d done some initial research into both the park I’d known, and history which I’d never learned. It was a park that existed in my memories, and the stories my father still tells. But it was a park much changed since I’d lived out there, and there was an overwhelming depth to the history of the place that I’d never taken in before. Ranger Gary was the perfect tour guide.

There’s a strong chance that if you do research on Biscayne National Park, the name Gary Bremen comes up. He has been a stalwart advocate of the park for many decades, and as such was often the point of contact and source for many of the articles written about the park.

That’s Gary in the hat.

As an example, I was reading this article one day about an elephant brought to a party on Boca Chita Key, and along with the picture of that elephant and a bunch of men in 1930s fancy attire, was a quote from Gary Bremen. When I was reading another article about the the people who fought to establish Biscayne as a national park, Gary was listed as the contact for information about the park. * (don’t use that contact information these days, it is out of date) When I was researching a topic of specific interest to Treasure of Biscayne Bay, Pirates, Gary is even quoted in this Atlas Obscura Article.

On his boat tour through the Biscayne, the park I remembered and history I’d forgotten or never heard, came alive in his story telling. I knew that Biscayne was a Park with many stories to tell, and I was planning on sharing some of those stories, and some of the park’s natural wonder through my J.R.I.C. Series. But his tour helped solidify my plans, and pointed me in several more avenues I could research, and share through the Junior Rangers Investigators.

Gary is retired now. Although he is still an advocate for Biscayne, and a storyteller for the park service. (You can also, sometimes, catch him on Mondays in Biscayne when he still gives boat tours when he isn’t busy doing other things.) But he will always be a great source of information on Biscayne National Park.

And, amazingly, he offered to write a forward for Treasure of Biscayne Bay! Which you will all be able to read soon, as the book releases in just over 2 weeks!

May 17th.

Paperback, ebook. Amazon, on this website, other links. Hopefully, (it takes more time) in park bookstores soon.

Ranger Gary was not the only source of information. I’ve spoken with many people who know so much about Biscayne that it would be impossible to list them all. Some of them you might run into if you visit Biscayne National Park today. (Upon book release I will be writing a series of blogs that delve a bit more into specific aspects of Biscayne Park History, and some other names will crop up.)

And I am so excited to share this book with everyone. It’s a full on Treasure Hunt, or rather, a Pirate Hunt as Rudy would say. And it’s a hunt that readers can solve alongside the Junior Rangers Investigator Club! * (in the book, don’t use the map to navigate Biscayne, Bailey’s art is awesome, but it’s based off of my bad illustrations and shouldn’t be used as a navigational guide.)

So, in just a few days. 17 to be exact. Check it out!

In anticipation of this release, I will soon be making several other announcements about older titles! So Stay tuned to that as well! And, if you know anyone who would be excited to read about treasure hunts, pirates, or awesome national parks. Please feel free to spread the news.

(and review the book when it is released.) I know, everyone asks for reviews, but it really does help.)

All of that aside, Biscayne National Park is an awesome place, with more depth an imaginable (pun intended) and I can’t wait for people to read more about it. (and maybe explore the park too.)

From the Boca Chita Lighthouse (which was never a true lighthouse: These and other facts, alongside the Mystery the J.R.I.C. will solve in Treasure of Biscayne Bay