Combining his experiences as a member of the United States Marine Corps with his love of reading and writing, Michael Peters, a 1982 graduate of Octorara Area High School, has penned his first book, "Twin Triangles."

The story, according to Peters, revolves around a squad of Marines on a fishing trip. While the Marines are at sea, their boat vanishes in a Bermuda Triangle, which was relocated to the mainland of the United States. They emerge on the other side of the world, where they must do battle against an enemy. The Marines must get themselves and the other people that they encounter home safely.

Peters, who currently resides in Maryland, said his interest in writing started in middle school when he began writing poetry and short stories. "When I got in high school, I had an English teacher that inspired me to write more - Stanley Dull," Peters recalled. "He kept telling me that he thought I would make a good writer. For some of his assignments, he would write a (fabricated) word on the board, and he told us to describe what it meant and to use our imagination. He liked what I came up with. That stuck with me."

While in high school, Peters was a member of the track team and the cross-country team, garnering multiple varsity awards. He was a member of the FFA, then known as Future Farmers of America, and was a county officer. He was also active in the Boy Scouts of America, earning 54 merit badges and the rank of Eagle Scout.

After graduation, he followed a family tradition and enlisted in the Marine Corps, where he served in the infantry as a mortar gunner, visiting Japan, the Philippines and Korea while in the service.

"My unit was on a ship a lot and I would read a lot of books to fill my spare time at sea," Peters said, noting one of his favorites is Stephen King's "The Stand," which he read multiple times. He also enjoyed reading works by John Jakes, including "North and South."

"Reading is not just important to be a good writer, but to be well informed," Peters added. "I used to read about history. Being from Pennsylvania, the area has a lot of history."

In addition, Peters presented his writings as gifts to others. "I would write poems and short stories and hand them out to guys on the ship to give them something to read," he said. "I got a lot of feedback."

Peters wrote down his thoughts and ideas both during and after his miliary service. "Over a period of years whenever I got an idea, I would take notes and write outlines," he said, sharing that he used those materials as the basis for his book. "I would break out my notes and look at them and start typing. I would (write for) a couple of hours a day."

He completed writing the book in about three months and then began the editing and proofreading process. He found a publisher, and the book was released in January. "It had always been a dream (of mine) that I would have a book written. I have always wanted to do it," Peters said, noting that plans are in the works for a second book.

To learn more about "Twin Triangles" and the author, visit https://bookstore.dorrancepublishing.com/twin-triangles.