(openPR) - Daniel Putkowski will be appearing at Doylestown (PA) Bookshop on Sept 5 to sign the book that has Aruba fanatics buzzing
It’s no secret that the tiny island of Aruba, which boasts the most repeat visitors in the Caribbean, has a cult following of Americans who, year after year, have lazed away vacation days on her soft, sugar-white beaches. But lately, these Aruba-philes are talking about more than Balashi Beer and divi-divi trees. Many are lining up to meet the author of a popular new book which is set in Aruba’s refinery town of San Nicolas. In his novel An Island Away, part-time expat Daniel Putkowski reveals the flip side of paradise, much to the delight of long-time visitors to the island.
But years before moving to Aruba and researching his book, Putkowski called the Philadelphia waterfront his home. Until 2006, the author operated one of the largest artificial reef businesses in the United States. Those who enjoy sport fishing off the coast of New Jersey are well aware of Putkowski’s efforts. However, he only developed his marine business after failing to find a job in the film industry. With both a BFA in film and an MBA in finance from New York University, Putkowski had expected to make his living as a movie producer. But an opportunity to create reefs in 1991, changed everything. Three years later, his life was set to change again. “I traveled to Aruba for the first time in 1994, looking to develop artificial reefs for sport divers. I soon became enamored with the island and now my wife and I spend about half our year there.”
In many ways San Nicolas, Aruba, reminded Putkowski of his pier in South Philadelphia. “You never lose sight of the refineries,” Putkowski notes when talking about both towns. “There are the flares burning day and night, the ships pulling into the docks, and the mix of people from all walks of life.” On the island, he fell in with a group of people known as Arucanos, those born in Aruba but to American parents who worked at the refinery years ago. Just as the old-timers on the Philadelphia waterfront showed Putkowski the ropes, so his new friends inducted him into Aruba’s culture. They served as inspiration for the characters in An Island Away. Nonetheless, Putkowski doesn’t neglect his roots and features a Philadelphia tugboat captain in the story.
From the first sentence of the book, readers discover that San Nicolas is a stark contrast to the pristine beaches and hotels on the other end of the island. In this town, there are a couple dozen barroom brothels that operate within a Zone of Tolerance. It is here that the lives of his characters intertwine and venture down paths none of them planned. The choices they make are sure to spark much heated debate among readers. “Like it or not,” Putkowski says, “This part of the Caribbean is rarely seen. It may not be pretty, but it is authentic.”
The author is not afraid to delve into difficult social issues, most notably prostitution, a topic which never seems to fade from the headlines. His protagonist is a young Colombian woman who works as a prostitute to pay off her family’s debt. Through his characters, Putkowski reminds readers that the skin trade is not an abstract, victimless crime. “Too many people are quick to dismiss the motives of the men and women who engage in this activity,” the author states. “I challenge them to look deeper, to see what’s really happening behind closed doors. Many will be surprised.”
Putkowski’s next project is a sequel, Under a Blue Flag. The story will pick up where An Island Away ends, exploring the lives of the main characters a decade down the road. The author will be signing An Island Away at Doylestown Bookshop, 16 South Main Street, Doylestown, PA, on Friday, Sept. 5 from 7-9 pm. For more information, call Doylestown Bookshop at 215-230-7610. An Island Away is also available online at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.
Hawser Press, a Philadelphia-based member of the Independent Book Publishers Association, publishes nautical themed fiction. To learn more and review submission guidelines, please visit www.hawserpress.com
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