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Praise for Joe Buff from NY Times Bestselling Authors:

"Superbly researched and well-written, Joe Buff's novels are the creme de la creme of submarine thrillers."
--Stephen Coonts

"Joe Buff takes the reader through a labyrinth of action and high adventure. A rare thriller, highly entertaining."
--Clive Cussler

"If you want a hair-raising trip to the bottom of the ocean, Joe Buff's the guy to take you there."
--Patrick Robinson

Welcome to JoeBuff.Com, the Cyberspace Home of
national bestselling author Joe Buff.

Archived Older News

NOVEMBER 30, 2006

SPANISH PUBLISHER IN RARE 4-BOOK DEAL FOR "CAPTAIN FULLER" SERIES

Joe is very pleased to announce that a major publisher in Spain, Inedita, has purchased the foreign rights in that country for CRUSH DEPTH, TIDAL RIP, STRAITS OF POWER, and SEAS OF CRISIS. These books will be brought out, in order, over the next few months and years. Inedita plans to release each first as a large format "trade paperback," and then in the standard pocket-book "massmarket" format. Updates will be provided here as the translation and printing process moves along. Joe is delighted that Spanish-speaking readers can now enjoy his novels!

September 5, 2006

"SEAS OF CRISIS" WINS 2006 ADMIRAL NIMITZ AWARD

Joe is proud to announce that his latest (sixth) novel, SEAS OF CRISIS, has received the 2006 Admiral Nimitz Award for Outstanding Naval Fiction from the Military Writers Society of America. The award itself, an engraved lucite sculpture trophy, will be presented at the MWSA's annual "Salute to the Military" convention dinner in San Diego on Saturday, October 14. To learn more about the MWSA, visit their website at http://www.militarywriters.com.

August 29, 2006

"SEAS OF CRISIS" PAPERBACK EDITION GOES ON SALE TODAY

The paperback edition of SEAS OF CRISIS, the sixth Captain Jeffrey Fuller adventure, officially goes on sale today. It's available at all major brick-and-mortar and on-line bookstores in the U.S. and Canada -- if they've run out, just ask them to order you a copy. For more information re SEAS OF CRISIS, see the BOOKS and ORDER buttons at the top-left of all JoeBuff.com website pages. Among the clamor of critical acclaim for SEAS is this sound-bite from a book review by Bill McDonald, a Vietnam Veteran and President of the Military Writers Society of America:

"Joe Buff has done it again with his newest undersea thriller SEAS OF CRISIS. It will grab you by the seat of your pants and drag you willingly into the depths of its story as you remain transfixed and unable to put the book down. This is Joe's best effort in a long string of very good books."

June 22, 2006

FRENCH PUBLISHER BUYS JOE'S 5TH BOOK, "STRAITS OF POWER"

Joe is very pleased to announce that the French publisher Fleuve Noir, which gradually bought the French translation rights to Joe's earlier "Captain Jeffrey Fuller" novels, has just completed a deal with Joe's American publisher, Morrow/Harper, to acquire those rights for the fifth book, STRAITS OF POWER. So far, THUNDER IN THE DEEP and then CRUSH DEPTH have actually been published for retail sale in French translation. They're doing well indeed in France, and Fleuve Noir will bring out further books in the series at appropriate intervals.

June 17, 2006

JOE ATTENDS CHRISTENING OF USS HAWAII, 3rd IN NEW VIRGINIA CLASS

Joe and his wife Sheila were delighted to be able to attend the Christening ceremony for the third VIRGINIA-class fast attack SSN, the USS HAWAII. The ceremony was held in the Groton, CT shipyard of a lead contractor and builder of the VIRGINIA subs, General Dynamics Electric Boat. The occasion was very festive, with a huge turnout, lavish free refreshments served, a Navy band playing, and traditional Hawaiian leis handed out to all guests. Submarine Christenings are no longer the kinetic events of old -- the sub now sits in a flooded dry-dock, and the bottle of champagne is swung against the back of her sail. The weather on Connecticut's Thames River was perfect, partly-cloudy and cool and breezy. The speakers were impressive, including the President of Electric Boat and the Governor of Hawaii, along with senior politicians and Navy officials. Extremely atmospheric and evocative was a special blessing of the ship conducted by a reservist Army master sergeant of Hawaiian ancestry: Dressed as a Hawaiian warrior, he recited native Hawaiian songs with a beautiful singing voice, blew a conch shell several times, and annointed the ship with water using palm fronds. The Submarine Force's newest "war canoe" (as he called it) is due to be commissioned into active service later in 2006.

June 13, 2006

JOE ATTENDS ANNUAL NAVAL WAR COLLEGE CURRENT STRATEGY FORUM

Joe recently attended the annual by-invitation-only Current Strategy Forum at the Naval War College in scenic and historic Newport, RI. The two-day Forum involves presentations with Q&A by senior members of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, along with top people from other Armed Forces branches, academics, and think tank representatives. For instance this year the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief of Naval Operations each presented stimulating material followed by a lively give-and-take with the audience of 1,300 participants. The Current Strategy Forum includes luncheons and receptions which are valuable networking opportunities. The Forum also includes afternoon breakout seminars: small discussion groups with a Naval War College faculty member as leader, which emulate the participative teaching style of the College itself, and are always very enlightening for the guests. (Joe strongly encourages naval enthusiasts to join the Naval War College Foundation, which is open to civilians and includes a subscription to the superb quarterly journal, the Naval War College Review, as well as periodic invitations to annual Forums depending on level of membership.) Below is a photo of the seminar group to which Joe was assigned this year:

Seminar participants included an NWC associate professor as group leader (extreme left), two senior officials of the Navy League of the United States (of which Joe is a Life Member), Joe (near middle, with his nametag rather lopsided), an Assistant Secretary of the Navy (to Joe's own left), retired Navy veterans, and active duty people who were either guests at the Forum or are currently assigned to the College (white uniform means Navy, khaki means Marine Corps). The NWC has international scope and influence, too -- one member of this seminar group was a College attendee from the Fiji Navy.

June 8, 2006

JOE'S CHINA PAPER WINS NAVAL SUB LEAGUE 1ST PRIZE LITERARY AWARD

Joe is delighted to announce that his lengthy paper, "Will China Rule the Waves?", published in the January 2006 issue of The Submarine Review, received first prize in the Naval Submarine League's Annual Literary Awards. The Naval Submarine League (NSL) is a professional organization for submarine advocates. The NSL holds an annual 2-day Open Symposium in Alexandria, VA; it has regional chapters throughout the U.S. and many foreign members as well; it publishes The Submarine Review as a quarterly journal. Membership (with subscription) are available to the general public -- more info is available at www.navalsubleague.com. Joe also gave a talk at the Symposium about the possile future threat of China's rising naval power, based upon six months' further research he conducted after his prize-winning manuscript was completed in December 2005.

At the Naval Submarine League's 2006 Open Symposium, Joe Buff (on right) receives first prize literary award for his Submarine Review paper "Will China Rule the Waves?" The certificate is being presented by the Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable Donald C. Winter. (Though not involved in the award decision process, SecNav Winter was Guest Speaker at the Symposium awards luncheon.) Photo courtesy U.S. Navy.

May 20, 2006

JOE GIVES TWO TALKS IN GROTON, CT, ABOUT CHINA'S FUTURE SUBMARINE THREAT

Joe gave two different talks near the New London Naval Submarine Base about the possible rising security threat to America posed by China's ever-growing and improving submarine fleet. On May 19 he was the luncheon speaker at the Nautilus Chapter of the Naval Submarine League, which meets at the Groton U.S. Submarine Veterans Inc. Clubhouse -- located half-way between the General Dynamics Electric Boat nuclear submarine shipyard, and SUBASE NLON itself. The title of Joe's talk there was "Will China Rule the Waves? -- An Updated View for the Greater Submarine Community." The outline for this presentation can be seen at http://www.joebuff.com/essay101.htm. The next day, May 20, Joe gave a public talk on the same subject, with somewhat different content more appropriate for a broad civilian audience, at the Submarine Force Library and Museum. This museum is right next to the Base, and includes the U.S. Navy's first nuclear submarine, USS NAUTILUS, as a museum ship open to the public for self-guided walk-through tours. Joe's May 20 talk was titled "Will China Rule the Waves? -- An Overview of Possible Future Risks/Opportunities." The outline for this presentation can be seen at http://www.joebuff.com/essay100.htm. While at the Museum, Joe also did a signing for SEAS OF CRISIS and his other novels at the Museum's excellent Gift Shop.

Joe receives a memento of his talk, a beautiful watercolor painting of historic submarines, from NSL Nautilus Chapter President Capt. Ray Woolrich, USN(Ret.). Photo courtesy William J. Browning.

Aerial view of Submarine Force Library and Museum, Groton, CT, with USS NAUTILUS in the foreground. Background shows the buildings housing fascinating exhibits about the history and future of subs. Photo U.S. Navy.

April 20, 2006

"THUNDER IN THE DEEP" NOW OUT IN JAPANESE EDITION

Joe is delighted to report that the Japan edition of his second novel, THUNDER IN THE DEEP, is now available to readers in that country. The publisher in Japan is Sony Entertainment, which within its home country has a large division devoted to books. Sony has purchased the Japanese translation rights to further of the "Captain Jeffrey Fuller" novels, which will gradually be released in Japan one by one. DEEP SOUND CHANNEL, Joe's first novel, had its Japanese-language debut about a year ago. Here's what the cover of the Japanese THUNDER looks like:

MARCH 31, 2006

"SEAS OF CRISIS" A MILITARY BOOK CLUB TOP-20 HOTTEST SELLER

Joe is pleased to announce that the Military Book Club edition of SEAS OF CRISIS made the club's Top-20 Hottest Seller List during the first quarter of this year. SEAS was the Club's Featured Alternate offering for the month of January, 2006. The Club's members tend to have a strong interest in non-fiction, so Joe feels especially honored that his latest novel appeals so well to this very discerning readership.

February 17, 2006

MILITARY WRITERS SOCIETY OF AMERICA LAUDS "SEAS OF CRISIS"

Joe is delighted that SEAS OF CRISIS received a great review from the Military Writers Society of America (MWSA). The review was done by the MWSA's founder and president, Bill McDonald, himself a Vietnam combat veteran -- which gives his review a lot of extra weight, in Joe's mind, as someone who's "been there, done that" in the service of America during a real-life major war.

Review of SEAS OF CRISIS by Bill McDonald, President of MWSA:

Another undersea thriller from Joe Buff

Joe Buff, the author that is most often compared to the likes of Tom Clancy, has done it again with his newest undersea thriller "Seas of Crisis." This novel has it all from heroes, villains and potential catastrophic events. It will grab you by the seat of your pants and drag you willingly into the depths of its story as you remain transfixed and unable to put the book down. It would be an understatement to say that it is a page burner; that would be like saying that a ton of napalm dropped on someone might ruin their day. This book is Joe's best efforts in a long string of very good books.

The plot is made to seem plausible and the characters feel real. Good word phrasing and technological descriptions. One actually begins to believe the story line--which means that the author hooked us right in once again.

There is something very special about Joe Buff's newest novel. If you are already a fan of his other novels then you will be wonderfully surprised at the new level of action and suspense that this volume offers us. This is a must read and must buy book! The MWSA gives it its HIGHEST RATING - FIVE STARS! This book looks like a clear cut candidate for many awards this year - including the best work of naval fiction for 2006!

February 17, 2006

JOE BUFF JOINS HISTORIC FIRST MEDIA UNDERWAY OF SSGN-CONVERSION USS OHIO

[Joe Buff / JoeBuff.Com] On Sunday, January 29, Joe was privileged to attend the first media underway of the initial SSBN-to-SSGN conversion, the former Trident deterrent ballistic missile sub, USS OHIO, in the waters of Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound, Washington State. The extremely stealthy and ultra-long-endurance nuclear powered OHIO is now dedicated to launching theater cruise missiles such as Tactical Tomahawks -- 7 apiece go in special sleeves inside up to 22 of her 24 ex-Trident tubes. She has dedicated berthing space for 66 SEALs or other commandos -- 102 in an emergency, via "hot racking" -- along with the ample exercise equipment and virtual shooting ranges that special ops forces require to keep on their toes at sea. The space available for storing their gear, ordnance, and transport vehicles is truly awesome. And OHIO's big Battle Management Center, combined with her modularized radio masts, allow her to support a breathtaking spectrum of current and next-generation mission profiles in shallow and in-shore waters (littorals) all around the globe. Joe and the other guests (including newspaper reporters, Navy and Air Force commandos, admirals and some of their staff) boarded OHIO in the Strait from a harbor patrol ship. Weather deteriorated to the point that such a transfer back was too dangerous. OHIO herself returned through twisting inland waterways to Bangor Submarine Base, to tie up at a pier and let us off. The underway, meant to last about 5 hours, thus lasted 12, and Joe spent much of this extra time looking on at everything in OHIO's control room.

Joe can personally testify that OHIO's enlarged superstructure over her missile tubes (a sort of "keel" except atop the vessel), and enhancements to her former-boomer hovering system, make her a rock-steady platform at periscope depth in rough seas; she also handles with precision at dead-slow speeds; these traits make her ideal for post-Cold War taskings where "slow and shallow" is the order of the day.

One memorable moment (of many) was when Joe got permission after dark to climb the tricky ladders to the open bridge on the sail. High winds, temperature dropping, spattered (or drenched) by blowing salt spray -- and then it started to rain. Joe had the time of his life, and was "deeply" impressed by USS OHIO and all her people!

CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE	CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE
Part of OHIO's spacious Battle Management Center, where joint commando missions and other littoral warfare ops will be planned, coordinated, and commanded. (Photo by Joe Buff)	View down in amazing 3-level swimmer lock-out chamber, one of two on OHIO converted from Trident ballistic missile launch tubes. Hatch to sea was just above my head. (Photo by Joe Buff)

February 15, 2006

"SEAS OF CRISIS" PRAISED ON MAJOR BOOK REVIEW WEBSITE

Joe is pleased to report that SEAS OF CRISIS received a very nice assessment from Midwest Book Review, a prestigious book review service known for the quality of its contents on the writing craft, book-lover resources, and publishing business insights. (Midwest Book Review was founded in 1976 to serve public libraries, and continues to be highly respected by librarians nationwide in the U.S. and Canada.) Joe is especially proud of the ending sentence of the review. Its full text is:

Seas of Crisis, by Joe Buff
(review by Midwest Book Review)

I loved this book that is a tense techno thriller. The plot is absolutely ingenious. In the near future a United States commando unit is sent to attack a Russian military installation and make it look like a third party. We are doing this to embarrass Russia because our government has learned that they are covertly supporting the Fascist Berlin-Boer Axis regime. There is another aspect to the picture that borders on being insane but it is the only way for us to get what we want in the world community opinion. The author handles the delicate situation with a tense well thought scenario that is a very chilling tale of what governments really do.

February 13, 2006

JOE HAS NEW MAJOR PIECE ON CHINA THREAT IN "THE SUBMARINE REVIEW"

Late last year, the retired submarine captain who is editor of THE SUBMARINE REVIEW -- a professional quarterly journal in which Joe has had a number of articles published since 1998 -- asked Joe to write a regular narrative-text version of his bullet point notes from his 3 December 2005 talk on China at the New York State Military Museum. (Word-count of the writeup was not a concern so much as clarity and completeness). That piece now appears as the lead Feature in the January 2006 issue of THE SUBMARINE REVIEW, with the title " Will China Rule the Waves?" A lengthy excerpt from the piece was run in a recent edition of the official U.S. Navy e-Newsletter UNDERSEA ENTERPRISE NEWS DAILY, published by the Pentagon's Project Executive Office for Submarines (PEO-SUBS). Joe's piece gives a valuable perspective at a pivotal time: The new Department of Defense Quadrennial Defense Review Report specifically identifies China as an emerging naval and undersea competitor in the vital Pacific Ocean theater.

FEBRUARY 7, 2006

JOE VISITS USS SPRINGFIELD AT GROTON BASE, DONATES LATEST NOVEL TO SHIP'S LIBRARY

[Joe Buff / JoeBuff.Com] On Saturday, February 4, Joe visited the Los Angeles-class fast-attack nuclear submarine USS SPRINGFIELD (at the Naval Submarine Base New London, in Groton) along with some Navy League friends. The visit was one of a ongoing periodic series where the New York Council of the Navy League brings a free lunch to the men standing in-port watch on a weekend, while their vessel undergoes maintenance work at a pier or in dry dock. The lunch menu entree? Why, submarine sandwiches, of course! (The same Saturday, lunch was also provided to USS SAN JUAN.) SPRINGFIELD's yeoman took a photo of Joe donating a copy of his latest novel to the Chief of the Boat for the ship's library. The photo, and a brief article, appeared today in an official U.S. Navy e-newsletter:

Excerpted from UNDERSEA ENTERPRISE NEWS DAILY, an official U.S. Navy e-newsletter digest distributed by the Pentagon's Program Executive Office - Submarines

Photo: Author Joe Buff visits USS Springfield (SSN 761) U.S. Navy photo, 4 February 2006 Military author Joe Buff presents a memento to MMCM (SS) Paul Wierbonics, Chief of the Boat, USS Springfield (SSN 761) during a recent visit aboard the fast attack submarine. Built by the Electric Boat division of General Dynamics Corporation in Groton, Connecticut, USS Springfield is the 47th Los Angeles class SSN delivered to the U.S. Navy. Since her commission in 1993, Springfield has conducted eight deployments.

January 27, 2006

"SEAS OF CRISIS" GETS STRONG REVIEW FROM MILITARY BOOK CLUB

SEAS OF CRISIS is the January, 2006 Featured Alternate of the Military Book Club. Joe's sixth novel shows prominently in the Club's catalog for their members. The Club's editorial staff gave the book the following very positive review:

From Military Book Club:

Seas of Crisis is the best kind of fiction: accurate in its real details, imaginative in its premise, and grippingly relevant in its implications. Buff is a submarine expert, and an experienced writer of naval fiction and non-fiction. The story is great for the way it manages a large-scale global conflict while providing the rigorous details of top-secret submarine warfare from the perspectives of the men under the waves. Combine that with its frightening, all-too-real glimpse of the near future, and this is a book you'll want to read again and again.

--Austen Farrell, Assistant Editor, Military Book Club.

January 16, 2006

"SEAS OF CRISIS" A TOP-5 BESTSELLER IN AMAZON.COM'S TECHNOTHRILLER LIST

Joe is pleased to announce that the hardcover edition of SEAS OF CRISIS, which went on sale barely a week ago, has already risen into the topmost bestselling books in Amazon's very broad "technothrillers" category, just behind books by Michael Crichton and Dan Brown. The last time Joe checked, in early afternoon today, SEAS stood at #5 on this important bestsellers list. Simultaneously, SEAS was also #6 in Amazon's "men's adventure fiction" category. Joe sincerely thanks all his readers and fans for their support!

January 10, 2006

"SEAS OF CRISIS" HARDCOVER GOES ON SALE TODAY

The hardcover edition of SEAS OF CRISIS, the sixth Captain Jeffrey Fuller adventure, officially goes on sale today. It's available at all major brick-and-mortar and on-line bookstores in the U.S. and Canada -- if they've run out, just ask them to order you a copy. For more information re SEAS OF CRISIS, see the BOOKS and ORDER buttons at the top-left of all JoeBuff.com website pages. Among the clamor of critical acclaim for SEAS is this sound-bite from a book review by the editor, a former Navy man, at a magazine focused on gear used in life-and-death situations in the military and law enforcement:

"The underwater adventure story of a lifetime. Well done Joe."
-- Chief Steven C. Bronson, USN(Ret.), Editor, Tactical Equipment Review, about SEAS OF CRISIS

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