Many people long for a paradise without traffic, television and talk shows, but the reality could be somewhat bland. That’s why author Rod Farrington has spiced up his second young adult novel, ‘The Protectors of the Bermuda Triangle — Spinners Episode II’ with a healthy dose of pirates, rogues, spies and confederate soldiers. What’s paradise without a seamy underbelly?

Mr. Farrington released his first book, ‘Lost Treasure of Bermuda’, in 2005. ‘The Protectors of the Bermuda Triangle’ is due on the shelves next month. In the Spinners series, five teenagers have discovered that the Bermuda Triangle is the gateway to the parallel world of Bermuda 500 years ago. The teenagers become guardians of the Bermuda Triangle.

“The Bermuda in the book is a very different world, very pristine and beautiful,” Mr. Farrington told the Bookworm Beat. “Half of the novel is based in present day Bermuda and half of it is based in the Bermuda Triangle. So the teenagers come in and out. There are villains from present day and villains from within the triangle too.”

While the first book dealt with buried treasure, the second book deals more with the power of the triangle and a group of pirates run amok.

“In the first book the Spinners were dependent on a lot of the characters that they met in the Bermuda Triangle to help them through the novel and their ordeal,” said Mr. Farrington. “In the second book they are a little more in command of the situation. They tend to take some things into their own hands. They are actually more involved with the Bermuda Triangle and what is going on in the book.”

Mr. Farrington is a “periodic” resident of Bermuda. He is a director of Gorham’s Ltd. and has lived in Bermuda for up to six years. Now he moves back and forth between here and Louisiana in the United States. He is a software designer by trade.

“I have designed all of the computer software and systems at Gorham’s,” he said. “Years ago companies in the United States would not sell software products to Bermuda because there was no copyright protection.”

Through a distributor, Gorham’s learned that Mr. Farrington had designed software for other companies, so they brought him to the Island.

Ironically, the software he designed for Gorham’s is now used by over 200 stores in the United States, and in other companies in Bermuda. “I grew up in the lumber business,” said Mr. Farrington. “I am the fourth generation of the family to be in the hardware and lumber business. When I was growing up my father was always bringing lumber home. We built forts and castles and ships in the backyard. We were always playing pirates and treasure island, and the Wild West and soldiers and things like that.”

This type of play strengthened his imagination and prepared him for a career in software design and writing.

“I love Bermuda and I love history,” he said. “That is where I got involved with the novels. To me it is an incredible Island. There is a lot of beauty and there is a lot of history here. From my programming background I have a pretty good imagination. I have had a lot of fun writing these novels.”

Mr. Farrington tries to keep his novels as historically accurate as possible.

“There is a map at the back of the book to show where different scenes are taking place,” said Mr. Farrington. “Tourists or even residents can go and visit the scenes from the book.”

Already, one of his readers in the United States has been inspired to visit Bermuda by the book. “One of my friends is coming here just because he got so excited about the first novel,” said Mr. Farrington. “He is definitely bringing the book and that is going to be his tour guide.”

The author spends at least six months researching each novel, before beginning to write.

“I have definitely spent a lot of time talking with people and going out every place I can in Bermuda, from April to October,” he said. “I will start writing during the winter months.”

The books are for teenagers, but adults also read many of Mr. Farrington’s novels. There is some mild violence in the books, but he tries to tone it down.

“In television, movies and video games there’s tons of graphic violence,” he said. “In my books, if someone gets shot, they just fall over.

“The Spinners themselves are not violent. If a pirate is shot, they are shot by someone other than a Spinner. All of the characters are very strong, upstanding teenagers. They are all different, but they are all of good character.”

His first novel has already made it onto the reading list of some schools in Bermuda. He recently spoke to a group of Somersfield Academy students who read it as part of a readathon.

“The reaction to it seemed to be very good,” he said. “A lot of the students had already read it. I spent most of the time in my session with them describing how I wrote the book and how it would relate to them doing term papers and things like that. They seemed to have enjoyed the session.”

Mr. Farrington printed his books through a Bermuda company called Print Link.

“Hannah Wilmot down at the Bermuda Bookstore recommended them,” Mr. Farrington said. “I went in and talked to her, and she suggested Print Link. They have been very good. They have allowed freedom of expression.”

Mr. Farrington’s son Jason, a graphic artist, designed cover art and illustrations for the second book. “I feel like I am adding to the economy here by creating something in Bermuda that is not imported, and all of the bookstores are now selling,” Mr. Farrington said. “So that is my way of giving back. I have enjoyed myself so much here in Bermuda, so it is nice to give back to the economy.”

The book is available locally. Readers overseas can access the book through Mr. Farrington’s website www.bermudaspinners.com. To contact the Bookworm Beat email bookwormbeat1[AT]hotmail.com.