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Featured Artist
James Forrest

James Forrest has been telling lies, I mean “fish-stories,” his whole life. His parents say that he was literally hooked on fishing while still in the womb. You see, his father was an avid fisherman and his mom, while pregnant with James, zigged when the casting pole zagged and she was whisked off to the hospital to remove an embedded fishhook. It seems that James’s path was set from that day forward.

James was born in North Miami in 1973 and raised in Florida City, where he spent his days exploring the Everglades and the Keys. Swimming, boating and fishing filled his days and, of course, he was always telling stories to go along with the fishing. Isn’t that half the fun?

While James’s passion for the outdoors grew, so did his dream of entering law enforcement. In 1994 James joined the Sarasota Sheriff’s Office as a Corrections Officer. Now, just a few years later, James is a Lieutenant and has added many law enforcement stories to his arsenal of tall tales. He eventually decided to put pen to paper and try his hand at a novel. The result is a mystery, called “Eye of the Storm,” that combines fishing, murder, some cops, a few bad guys and a huge hurricane barreling right at the action.

Although he self-published this first novel, James has had success uncommon to the world of self-published authors. In fact, Amazon.com sold out of their stock of “Eye of the Storm” and is waiting for the next shipment in order to fill advance orders. To read the first chapter of the book and to learn more about James, click here.

James is a lucky man; he is able to combine his hobbies and job to fulfill his dreams. During his off time, he enjoys time with his wife, Nicole, two daughters, writing and, of course, fishing. No room here to mention James’s photography, though I think I just did, and his Blog. May we all find a way to make a living doing the things we love. Thanks for the inspiration, James.