news-record.com

EDEN — Rockingham County offers abundant land, time and a quiet rural setting to those who move here.

One such resident, Peter T. Deutermann, a retired Navy officer and novelist, and his wife, Susan, found farmland in Reidsville where he helps her with a Dartmoor pony breeding farm.

Since 1992, Deutermann has found the time and quiet to write 14 novels. His latest, “Pacific Glory,” was released March 15.

Deutermann will be the guest speaker at the Eden Public Library annual dinner at 6:30 p.m. April 12.

Born in Boston into a family with roots in the Navy since the 1920s, Deutermann continued in the family tradition. After graduation from the Naval Academy, he served in many capacities in Vietnam, on destroyers, and in country. He helped train for Swift class gunboat use in the Philippines.

Deutermann earned a master’s degree in public administration and international law. He has served on the staff at the Pentagon.

He was stationed in Pearl Harbor in the late 1980s and has traveled worldwide. Both his son and daughter went into military service.

Deutermann writes suspense novels. His first, “Scorpion of the Sea,” which was published by George Washington University Press, won him an agent. Since 1993, St. Martin’s Press has been his exclusive publisher.

Deutermann has added 13 more novels to his resume. Three of his novels are being developed for film.

His novels are translated into many languages.

The newest novel, “Pacific Glory,” features a nurse who serves on a World War II ship.

Cameron Richter, a former law enforcement officer, is a recurring character in several of Deutermann’s books.

The books will be available for sale at the annual dinner.

The Friends of the Eden Public Library on Pierce Street are the ongoing sponsors for the dinner. Anyone is welcome to join the Friends organization at the dinner or any other time at the library main desk. Member’s tickets for the dinner are $12, and nonmember tickets are $14. The dinner starts at 6:30 p.m. and the program begins at 7:30 p.m.

After a brief business meeting, the yearly Distinguished Service Recognition award will be given, to honor a person who has given help to the Friends of the Library throughout the year.

The Friends’ annual dinner is a wonderful time to enjoy listening to and getting to know an author, buying books and socializing with other book lovers.

Rachel Wright, an Eden native, is retired as a teacher at Morehead High School and an instructor at RCC.