By Kathy L. Collins
Brandon resident, T. Michael Cross, has written and published his first novel. The Gaspar Triangle, available on sites such as tmichaelcross.com, amazon.com and createspace.com, delves into Tampa’s history and delivers a fast-paced piratical tale.
The Gaspar Triangle was self-published by Cross who came up with the idea for the book while on a balcony in Ybor City during the Gasparilla Night Parade. “A chase scene flashed in my mind’s eye, and the seed had been planted. After much research into Tampa’s history, I felt I was able to create an entertaining story incorporating much of that history,” explained Cross.
The Gaspar Triangle is about a charter boat captain and former treasure hunter, Thomas Raymond, who gets the opportunity to jump back into the life he had squandered a decade prior. The lost treasure of the infamous pirate, Jose “Gaspailla” Gaspar, was the quest and Thomas was quickly caught in a vortex of lies, betrayal and death that would lead him across the seas in a race against time to save those trapped inside the Gaspar Triangle.
Cross said, “I set out to write a story that would encompass the history of Tampa Bay and Ybor City wrapped inside a thrilling tale. I saw no better vehicle than the legend of the infamous pirate Jose ‘Gasparilla’ Gaspar.”
The book is set in Tampa, Ybor City, Captiva Island, Spain and Cuba.
The decision to write a book was not an easy one for Cross. ” ‘I am not a writer’ is what I said the moment the idea for the book popped into my head. I then wondered if I could actually do it,” said Cross. “Never being one to shy away from a challenge, I set out on this journey that took a number of years since I was still maintaining a full-time job,” added Cross.
“I will tell you, it is a pretty cool feeling typing the words ‘The End’ on that final page,” said Cross.
Cross, who lives in Brandon with his wife, Dawn, and their greyhounds and African grey parrot, is hard at work on his second novel, Four Months In May.
For more information about Cross and his book, please visit www.tmichaelcross.com.
