DeMille to Strike Twice

By Amy Edel

Garden City resident and bestselling author, Nelson DeMille spent most of his summer attending book signings for his latest bestseller Plum Island. He delighted crowds at book stores and libraries around New York as he signed copies of the new book as well as collections of his works brought by longtime fans.

DeMille has always been an integral part of Long Island's contemporary history. He was born in New York City and raised in Elmont. His father had been a local contractor who shared in Long Island's post-World War II building boom. DeMille attended a pre-law program at Hofstra University, in the heart of Long Island, but his studies were interrupted by three-years of service in the United States Army, including a tour in Vietnam.

It was during his time in southeast Asia that he began to develop his talents as an author with a war diary that he envisioned as the foundation of his first novel. Upon his return to the United States, he completed his first novel which reflected his own experiences as a soldier in the Vietnam War. As a result of the bigotry the returning soldiers faced, publishers frowned upon literature discussing the subject of Vietnam. Learning from his experience of writing a novel and dealing with the publishing industry, DeMille was able to become one of the most successful authors of our time.

In 1990 he enjoyed a spot on the best seller list for his novelGold Coast. DeMille has said that this is the novel he is "most fond of as an author." Gold Coast has become part of the canon of literature written by Long Island literary figures who write about the area. It has been used as a companion book for F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 classic, The Great Gatsby on college campuses. Both Gold Coast and The Great Gatsby have North Shore settings.

DeMille's recently chart-topping novel, Plum Island also is set in the area. The main character is a New York City police officer who becomes involved in unraveling a mystery on Plum Island. According to DeMille, "The Plum Island character is funny, but then, every New York City cop is funny. Americans are funny. They make jokes, they're [a] sarcastic, funny [people]." DeMille said he spent 2 1/2 years researching, writing and rewriting the novel.

Now that the novel has reached the bestseller list and the book signings are over, instead of resting and taking time to enjoy the solitude, he is planning to attend two upcoming book signings for two different projects.

The first event will be on Jan. 9. DeMille will be at Barnes & Noble in Carle Place with his friend and co-author Thomas Block signing copies of an updated and reissued paperback version of their 1979 novel Mayday. The signing will afford fans an opportunity to acquire the new version and have it signed while meeting this local legend. The event will be from 7:30-8:30 p.m.

The second event will be on Jan. 23 from 7:30-8:30 p.m. also at the Carle Place Barnes & Noble. He and his daughter, Lauren DeMille, will attend a special booksigning of an anthology of mystery stories. When Mary Higgins Clark initiated the project and asked Nelson DeMille to contribute a story, he was in the midst of touring for the release of Plum Island. DeMille suggested that his daughter, a sophomore at Columbia University, submit a story for the project. With a little guidance from her father, she has produced her own thrilling tale which now appears in The Plot Thickens, the anthology which will benefit Literacy Partners with all of its profits.

Nelson DeMille is certainly a well-respected literary figure here on Long Island and a treasured mentor to blossoming young authors, including the now published Lauren DeMille. All of his neighbors here in Garden City will have the opportunity to extend their warmest wishes and continued support of their local legend at both book signing events.