Islands of Deception

If you’re a Michigander or you’re a frequent visitor to Michigan, you’ll come across several things in Islands of Deception that may be familiar to you—things that have their roots in Michigan. Without giving away the plot, I think I can safely say that the location of the old Tiger Stadium and the name of Al Kaline make a cameo appearance in the book. There’s also a mention of Jack Roush which harkens back to my years working at an ad agency in Southfield located in the shadows of several glass high rise office towers (also mentioned in the book). Then there’s the 1920s Chris Craft boat that makes an appearance, a company with deep Michigan roots dating back to 1874 in Algonac.

While the book is fiction, many of the scenes are based on my experience traveling Michigan. Several trips on Beaver Island over the years helped set scenes in the book as well as visits to many of the beach towns along the Lake Michigan shore including Charlevoix. An internship at the state capitol in early 1980s and a subsequent behind-the-scenes tour gave me insight in setting scenes inside the capitol. Even a shirt I once owned with Traverse City embroidered on it makes an appearance. And of course, I had to add a “Pure Michigan” hat to the ensemble.