Prometheus' Gift (Paperback or Softback)

Bill’s life went from monotonous to stimulating in just a week. In that short time, two deadly arson fires put Bill’s skill as a fire fighter to work assisting in the investigation. His involvement in these fires wakes up some purposely buried memories of a broken marriage thirty years ago, a heart break that still affects him years later. While helping with the investigation of these fires, the team Bill is on gets side swiped by an unmannered FBI agent, who seizes all of the team’s efforts at solving the crimes. Determined to give his community closure, Bill and the team continue clandestinely to find the culprit. In the meantime, a young man comes to town and is quickly assimilated into the community. The young man, actually a FBI agent in disguise, soon realizes that what his boss told him about the arson fires was not exactly true.

Meanwhile the perpetrator of the arson fires follows a strange calling to return to the area of the deadly arson fires. A series of wildland arson fires hits the area, while a beautiful young woman named Diana starts visiting the town’s favorite bar and starts an affair with the young FBI agent. Wanting a spectacular fire to watch from the camera on board a hexcopter drone, the arsonist picks a perfect setting to start a wildfire, but the fire turns deadly and kills three fire fighters. As the young FBI agent, Bill, and a woman police officer start to zero in on the elusive arsonist, the town becomes embroiled in a deadly battle to save the life of Diana. The town’s people, providing help to the outnumbered law enforcement officers, beat back numerous attempts on Diana’s life by hitmen from Diana’s family. In the midst of fighting, Bill not only becomes a hero twice over, but he learns what happened to his wife and discovers who the arsonist really is.

John writes from experience. He spent nearly fifty years fire fighting, some of it as a paid wildland fire fighter, most as a volunteer fire fighter. He received his Bachelor's of Science in Forestry, Fire Management degree, in 1974. During his schooling, he authored a few studies for the Fire Lab in Missoula, Montana, and authored a thesis on the use of remotely piloted vehicles in fire fighting. While a volunteer fire fighter, John worked as a sales manager for a mail order business, and eventually started his own computer repair business. After a number of deaths in John's extended family, he decided to update his notes and recollections of various fires he had been on over the years. With some inspirational words from famous author John Maclean, and the use of his editor, John was able to publish his book entitled Salmon River Fire: 30 Years An Idaho Fire Fighter, which came out in 2016. John and Cindy, his wife of 46 years, live in Grangeville, Idaho. They have two children, four grandchildren, and one great grandchild.