The Opposite Way (Paperback)

December 1941. A Pan American Flying Boat takes off from San Francisco bound for Honolulu. As it approaches Hawaii, it suddenly must divert to an alternate site due to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. It eventually reaches New Zealand, but finds itself unable to return the United States mainland due to the presence of the hostile Japanese fleet. To safely return home, it must circumnavigate the globe westward, "The Opposite Way." Thus begins the epic journey for the passengers and crew of the 'Caledonia Clipper' as she travels uncharted waters and visits unfamiliar destinations under the cover of radio silence in an effort to escape the Japanese war machine at the onset of World War II. At home on the mainland, the families and friends must deal with the mysterious disappearance of the ship and the unknown whereabouts of their loved ones as America braces for war. The responsibility of bringing the 'Caledonia' home safely with its human cargo falls on the shoulders of the young and dashing commander of the ship, Captain Eldon Rule. He must act as both supervisor and sparkplug to his travel weary crew of 11. Also on board the luxurious yet claustrophobic confines of the 'Caledonia' are a unique array of passengers. There is an aristocratic steel mill owner with ambitions of joining the Roosevelt Cabinet, traveling with his wife; a reporter on his way to Honolulu to cover the readiness of the U.S. Naval fleet; two USO showgirls with ambitions that also include the crew; a Japanese-American businessman whom the passengers are wary of; an ill-fated War Department attach'; two United States Senators, one a southern bigot and the other the estranged father of Captain Rule; and a strappingNew Zealander who may be the guiding light for the ship. Rob Carpentier It was on a trip to the National Air & Space Museum in Washington DC where I discovered my hidden fascination with air travel in the 1930's and 40's. Walking through a mock-up of an antiquated DC-4 inspired me to write about it. The opulent world of a Pan American Flying Boat was the perfect scenario. When I saw a cutaway drawing of the ship from a coffee table book, I could see the characters mingling inside and I had the setting. As an enthusiast and student of World War II, it seemed natural to interweave the ship and its complement against the backdrop of the war. Add the situations that were occurring on the mainland home front, and I had a story of mystery, intrigue, and adventure. Rob Carpentier works for a prominent northern New Jersey newspaper and lives in Clifton, N.J. with his family. His interests include history, reading, and comedy. He wants his next book to be an auto-biographical comedy, and also hopes to audition for "The Last Comic Standing" next year.