Former pilot hopes new venture soars

By BROCK RADKE

VIEW STAFF WRITER

When Bob Gore decided to write a high-tech, military action thriller as his first novel, he found himself in a precarious position.

Having some experience in marketing, Gore knew he would have to include elements in his book that would appeal to a female audience, as they make up the largest buying groups of novels. But as a former U.S. Air Force Top Gun, he also knew he couldn't let down his military peers.

"It was a challenge," Gore said. "Women buy 80 percent of new novels, so I knew I needed to put in things like relationships. But I still needed to write a war novel that my fighter pilot buddies wouldn't laugh at."

The result is "Rhombus," the first book from Gore, a Northwest Las Vegas resident and commercial real estate broker. The book tells the story of Lt. Michael Christum, the country's finest aviator, who will pilot the top secret stealth bomber of the book's namesake during the Cold War.

"Rhombus," published by local Huntington Press, was released Nov. 1. For Gore, who said if he became a full-time novelist it would be his ninth career change, the success of the book is not in its publishing but how well readers accepts it.

"I see it more as a business venture, so to see it on the shelf is not necessarily a sign of success," he said. "If it sells, that means to me that it is touching people, and that's what I'm after."

Gore said the story, which takes place mostly in the Nevada desert including Area 51, comes down to the demands placed on the main character -- those coming from his family and personal life and his country.

"It's a look into the human heart," he said. "Here is this man who works in such a secret world. He can't come home and talk about his day to his wife like most people. Ultimately, it comes down to him having the future of the world on his shoulders, and how he deals with that."

The book is enhanced by extremely detailed information regarding military technology, and Gore knows what he is talking about.

Gore, who hails from West Virginia, was the Top Gun of his Air Force training class in 1969, flew cargo planes on worldwide missions including Vietnam, and piloted a helicopter in the Air Force's Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Services. He also served as public affairs officer for the USAF Thunderbirds before leaving the Air Force in 1977, and then returned to service in 1982 as a Naval Reserve Officer, retiring from that in 1995.

With much of his military knowledge condensed into a book that includes descriptions of Area 51, some readers might take the novel as nonfiction.

"Some people might take it that way," Gore said. "Area 51 is important to the story and it holds a certain mystery, but I've never been there. I just have ideas based on what I know of military aviation. They are logical conclusions."

For Gore, keeping the fictitious book plausible was a necessity.

"This airplane I've come up with is sophisticated beyond belief," he said. "But it's really just an extrapolation of today's technology. I got a lot of advice about it from the right people. I wanted it to be as believable as possible."

Writing "Rhombus" took the author 90 days, but it was no easy process.

"I couldn't do it part time, not with having to go to work," Gore said. "So my wife (Feona) and I decided I could just walk away from (work) from a while to do it. I really lived it for that 90 days. I was up until four a.m. many nights, and I gained 20 pounds. But I guess that's an occupational hazard."

Gore has already started on a sequel as he hopes "Rhombus" is the first novel of many to come. He recently appeared at some local book story for signings, and has another one planned for January 20, from 1 to 3 p.m., at the Barnes & Noble location at 2191 N. Rainbow Blvd.