Vietnam War veteran Paul Betit will talk about his books and how they came to be during a series of author talks during the month of August at three libraries in Franklin County.
The Maine writer will hold book talks at 6 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 22, at Rangeley Public Library, at 5 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 23, at Carrabasset Valley Library and at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 24, at New Vineyard Library.
The author of three crime novels set in the 60s and 70s featuring U.S. Army CID investigator John Murphy, the Brunswick resident recently published Let Me Tell A Story, a mix of short fiction and memoir inspired by his military service during the Vietnam War and by living and growing up in Maine.
“It is quite a departure from the military crime novels I’ve written in the past,” he said. “The book reads like a novel, but it isn’t one.”
Betit’s most recent book is a collection of short stories that take place over a 55-year period.
“The narrator in one story is not necessarily the narrator of the next story or any of the stories that follow,” he said, “but the book has a definite chronological arc and a melancholy feel.”
One reviewer, columnist George Smith of Mount Vernon, liked the book’s blend of fact with fiction. “I would love to know what is fact and what is fiction, but part of the fun is trying to figure that out,” Smith wrote in a post on georgesmithmaine.com.
“The inspiration for most of the stories come from incidents in my own life,” Betit said, “but I took some poetic license in how those events are portrayed. ”
Previously, Betit published Phu Bai, Kagnew Station and The Man In The Canal, military crime novels set in South Vietnam, Ethiopia and Sweden, respectively.
At events promoting those books Betit often read early versions of a few of the stories in Let Me Tell A Story. “It was a good change of pace and the stories were well received,” he said.
After his graduation in 1965 from Cony High School, Betit served as an intelligence analyst with the U.S. Army Security Agency, receiving letters of commendation for his work in South Vietnam and Ethiopia.
Following his four years in the Army, Betit earned a journalism degree from the University of Maine.
During a newspaper career of nearly 44 years, Betit worked as a general assignment newspaper reporter or a sportswriter. His career includes lengthy stints at the Kennebec Journal in Augusta and at the Portland Press Herald and Maine Sunday Telegram. He still covers high school, college and pro sports for the Press Herald and Telegram on a freelance basis.
During his talks, Betit shares back-stories, reads excerpts from his books and current writing projects and discusses the publishing game. He always leaves plenty of time for Q&A.
Inscribed copies of all four of his books will be available for purchase at discounted prices.
For more information about Betit and his books, visit paulbetit.com.
