Author David Poyer took time out of his visit to the Bradford area Wednesday to sit down with an Era reporter and discuss his newest book, “Heroes of Annapolis.”
The book is his 43rd published work, and it tells the story of 14 graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy — from the Civil War to the War on Terror. Unlike many of Poyer’s works, which are fictional in nature, this book shares historical accounts of people who lived, breathed and served our country.
“This is different for two reasons: one, it’s non-fiction. Not that I haven’t done non-fiction before, because I have. It’s biographical non-fiction, assembled from pieces I did for Shipmate,” Poyer said. “I have hundreds of hours of research in those articles. Also, the stories are so intertwined with American history; the American prison, Hershey Kisses, Popeye the Sailor and the Naval Academy, all are connected to these stories.”
Shipmate is the U.S. Naval Academy’s magazine. Poyer explained he typically writes two to three pieces each year for the publication. Some are profiles of academy graduates, similar to the accounts in the book. Others, however, address pertinent issues for the academy — like the academy’s current struggle with rising sea levels and the potential future due to the flooding that occurs in portions of the school at high tide and the geographical constraints of the location as it is hemmed in by the city of Annapolis.
Poyer believes anyone who has an interest in military history, the lives of those who attend the U.S. Naval Academy and also those who like American history will all find something to take away from this book.
“There are confederates, unionists, politicians and scientists. I tried to pick the stories of people who went above and beyond the call of duty,” Poyer said. “Each person’s story is very individualized. What they have in common is they each had a difficult ethical choice to make — and they all made that choice,” Poyer noted that theme ethical choices carries through his fictional works as well.
The stories include that of Richmond P. Hobson, “The Most Kissed Man in America,” who not only had a candy named for him (Hobson’s Kisses) that was a predecessor of a popular confection today, but he also is responsible for the large prison population.
Another story is that of Megan McClung, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1995 and is one of the three members of the class who are named in the book as heroes of the War on Terror. McClung comes from a family with a history of military service: her father, an Army brat and her grandfather a World War II veteran. For McClung, her current entry in the USNA archives is brief but her legacy is much more.
While “Heroes” is his 43rd book, Poyer is certain it won’t be his last. When asked about his process for coming up with a new book idea, Poyer didn’t have a specific formula or secret to share.
“Some ideas arrive, and they arrive with a bang. Some slowly grow on you,” Poyer said. “Everyone has ideas. Not everyone is trained or has trained themselves to recognize the good ideas. You have to be like a whale, that strains the ocean as it goes along, and strain out the good ideas.”
Poyer noted that often, he begins by writing something short. Then, the idea grows and becomes a novella, and eventually some grow into a series. This includes his Tiller Galloway series and his “Civil War at Sea” series.
His foray into non-fiction is another point on a timeline of branching out and trying new things for Poyer.
Poyer noted his work “Whiteness of the Whale” was his first work with an entirely female point of view, as the book was his first with a female lead character. While writing the work, he began to view life from a different perspective — one where he perceived the world through relationships rather than “atoms and forces, as I normally think about things.”
Poyer found that to be an eye-opening experience.
“That’s why we have fiction. It gets us out of ourselves,” he said.
“Heroes of Annapolis” was published by Northampton House Press. Per the publishing company’s website, “Northampton House Press, Overdue Books, and Polyhymnia Audio publish selected historical fiction, romance, thrillers, science fiction, and fantasy, as well as nonfiction, poetry, and middle grade and YA literature.”
Poyer’s work, Hatteras Blue, is available as an unabridged audiobook through Polyhymnia Audio.
Poyer, a former Bradford resident, currently resides in Virginia. He spent the day Wednesday on a motorcycle tour of the area enjoying the natural beauty and had evening plans that included dinner at a local establishment with family.
“Heroes of Annapolis,” and a selection of Poyer’s other books, is available at Main Street Mercantile or from any online bookseller.
