Has a book cover ever enticed you to purchase a novel? Normally when I consider profiling an author for this column, my goal is to introduce a local author. Of course, I always appreciate recommendations and often consider author requests, but neither consideration happened when I wrote about Terry Sanville’s “The Long Fall” published in EBN on February 27, 2025.
I have known Terry for years as we are longtime members of SLO NightWriters and supporters of the Central Coast Writers Conference. However, it was his cover art for “The Long Fall” featuring Catalina’s picturesque community and harbor that compelled me to instantly order Terry’s book and share my thoughts in this column. To my satisfaction his first in a three-book series transported me back to my favorite vacation spot. I also learned more about the island’s history during its WWII era and enjoyed an intriguing mystery solved by interesting characters, Sgt. Paul Saldano and his newfound love, Jamella. When book two in the series published, I was already prepped to read it. Terry Sanville, cheers! You delivered again with “Deep Water Secrets.”
As a reader, once I find a fictional author that engages my full attention I typically trust another by the same writer will satisfy my interests. For example, I once enjoyed a visit to Charleston, SC and was determined to return someday. Meanwhile, I fulfilled that desire by reading fictional authors who had characters living in the surroundings I had experienced.
Terry’s mystery series allowed me to recall familiar sites in Avalon and reminisce about my dad’s stories diving for coins when he was a teen or a summer vacation spent with my favorite cousin. My family eventually summered on the island for a few years when I was a teen exploring teen-type activities. As married adults that favorite cousin and I rented a cottage together when we had toddlers and recently as empty nesters we returned without the kids. Frankly, I was amazed Avalon had not changed except to “dress-up” just enough to keep up with the preferences of their active tourism trade.
But I digressed! What matters here is Terry’s choice of setting was the primary reason I wanted to read “The Long Fall,” but its vivid descriptions of familiar sites like the hilltop airport, quaint cottages, the Casino, and Avalon’s waterfront enhanced the intrigue of mystery his characters needed to solve. I didn’t hesitate to purchase the author’s sequel “Deep Water Secrets” Same setting, however, the author introduces another preferred reason many visit Catalina – its relatively warm, crystal-clear deep waters for scuba diving.
It isn’t a prerequisite to read the first book, but I believe it would enrich your enjoyment of the latest. Terry offered, “I planned each of the novels in the series to be “stand alone” works. There is background information in “The Long Fall” that would add to the richness of the characters in this sequel. However, it is not essential to understand the characters or their motivations.”
I was truly amazed at the depth of scuba diving knowledge the author appeared to have. I knew Terry used to visit the island regularly but had to wonder if he was also a scuba diver. “Deep Water Secrets” takes scuba diving to a professional level. Sgt. Saldano and Jamella, a marine biologist beginning a new career on the island, scuba dive together. An emergency uncovers debris that indicates a possible undiscovered sunken vessel they intend to explore. Their challenge is to verify its existence and importance before those who would rather plunder than preserve its historic treasures. She influences Saldano to help her ward off other divers they both know will be up to no good.
I questioned how much research Terry had and learned he wasn’t a diver. “I had to do a lot of research – mostly on the internet,” he said. “I knew that my deep-water secret could not be discovered using common scuba gear or it would have been found long ago. The diving community on Catalina is robust, and many sports divers visit the island to enjoy it clear water and diverse marine life. So, I had to place the ‘secret’ at a depth well beyond scuba capabilities.” He found that close-circuit rebreathers are an advanced diving system that recycles a diver’s exhaled breaths and go deeper for longer periods of time. “These systems are used by salvage folks and by marine biologists. Since there are no exhaled gasses (bubbles), they are quiet systems that allow a diver to get closer to marine life without scaring it off.”
I promised the author I would keep his “Deep Water Secrets” secret. You’ll have to discover Avalon’s WWII lifestyle and Terry’s mysteries yourself. He assured me both stories are purely fictional although he did reveal, “Many of the exploits of this wrecked craft were taken from actual events that took place off the Aleutian Islands and the West Coast of the United States. I borrowed some historical facts, events and technology, and built a fictional story around them.”
Aha! I suspect buried in his extensive research Terry also discovered a treasure he knew Jamella would be determined to risk her life over.
