Mackinac Island Novels:
Where Summer Never Ends.
The Mackinac Island Novel Series is a collection of hilarious, touching novels set on a small resort island in northern Michigan. Jack McGuinn is a summer kid. His life on the resort island, from life as a paperboy to a dockporter, to a professional photographer, is the stuff of small-town legend. If Rushmore director Wes Anderson remade Mystic Pizza but it came out as a hybrid of Breaking Away and Meatballs - and was a book - it would be a Mackinac Island Novel. Genre-smashing, hilariously fresh, yet refreshingly familiar. Join the ride!
NEWS FROM THE DOCKS
Book signing bash on Mackinac Island on August 27, 2023
Join Jim and Dave at The Island Bookstore for a book signing party. Buy a book, get a signature, then go sell it on eBay for the exact same price. Maybe even less!
UPDATE: Due to an injury, Dave will not be attending, but Jim will be there!
Somewhere in Crime is an Amazon Bestseller in its first 2 weeks of release.
We're thrilled to announce that Somewhere in Crime soared to Amazon Bestseller status in its very first week. Join the ranks of readers who've discovered the fun and intrigue of this hit indie book. Read all about it!
The Dockporter is selected as a Michigan Notable Book, 2022!
Every year, the Library of Michigan selects up to twenty of the most notable books written by a Michigan resident about Michigan or the Great Lakes. Each selected title speaks to our Michigan's rich cultural, historical, and literary heritage and proves that some of the greatest stories are found in the Great Lakes State.
WATCH THE DOCKPORTER TEASER TRAILER
It's the summer of 1989. Jack McGuinn is a dockporter, transporting tourists’ luggage piled high in his bike basket on Mackinac Island, Michigan, a tiny summer resort where cars are outlawed and pedal-power rules.
The Detroit Free Press called the Dockporter "filled with youthful hopes and dreams and plenty of antics!" And it's true!
WATCH THE SOMEWHERE IN CRIME TEASER TRAILER
It's the summer of 1979. Young Jack is the island paperboy, and Hollywood has arrived to make Somewhere in Time. But all is not glitz and glamor for Jack as he juggles a complicated family situation and a cold case murder.
According to MLive, "it’s a big, sweet, laugh-out-loud scoop of late-70s nostalgia. So slip on your checkered Vans, pull on your faded KISS T-shirt (because to Jack’s gang of bike-riding buddies, there is no argument that KISS is better than Black Sabbath. Natch.) and get ready to free-fall into the era of Schwinn bikes, Izod shirts, Superman and Space Invaders."
VISUAL EXCERPTS
PRAISE FOR THE DOCKPORTER
★★★★★
Artfully crafted and full of nostalgic insider Mackinac details, The Dockporter takes the reader on a delightful coming of age journey ...
★★★★★
What a GREAT read! Seriously, it is really well written, moves at a perfect pace has a wonderful blend of laugh-out-loud and heartwarming moments.
★★★★★
I loved this book! It’s a touching coming of age story, a love letter to Mackinac island, and a tribute to friendship.
★★★★★
You’ll cry a little, you’ll laugh a lot, and you’ll thoroughly enjoy this heartwarming novel. This first collaboration is a sure hit with all—it is with me. I am waiting now for the next in the Mackinac Island Series.
★★★★★
A must-read, especially after the pandemic of 2020/21, this book helps the reader escape to a simpler time. In a world where hard work, fresh air, friendships, family, community, laughter, determination, tears & love coexist in a magical place ...
READ THE MLive ARTICLE
READ THE PETOSKEY NEWS ARTICLE
READ THE LANSING CITY PULSE ARTICLE
BUY THE DOCKPORTER ON AUDIBLE
The Dockporter is available on Audible, Amazon and iTunes.
CINEMATIC SOUNDS
Designed with the natural sounds, and, if you really use your imagination, smells of Mackinac Island. Our producers visited the island to capture the island vibe and create the perfect audio vacation.
THE PERFECT SCORE
The Audible version of The Dockporter features a musical score that takes you beyond the typical narrated story. With a rich musical tapestry, this production feels like a movie.
★★★★★
"This book is the escape you’ve been looking for!"
AVAILABLE ON KINDLE AND PAPERBACKTHE AUTHORS
Dave and Jim go back 30 years as co-workers and friends on Mackinac Island. Jim (being the old man of the team) was a mentor and encouraged Dave creatively. When Dave decided to transform his island-based movie script into a novel, Jim was the obvious choice as a writing partner, having established himself as a popular writing instructor and short story author (pro tip: if you want get something written, partner with a high school English teacher). Together, they're proud to present the Mackinac Island Novel series.
Dave McVeigh
Dave is an experienced writer/director and creative director who has worked with studios like Disney, Fox and Universal Studios and brands like Nike, PayPal and Ford. He's also an award-winning TV producer. He spent his summers on Mackinac Island as a dockporter. He lives in Cebu, Philippines with his wife and daughter.
Jim Bolone
Jim Bolone was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan where he attended public school and eventually Wayne State University, where he earned his B.A. in English. Currently he teaches English in Whitehouse, Ohio. Throughout his life he has been a drummer, dockporter, bouncer, and bartender.
2022 Michigan Notable Book Author Interview Conversation: Jim Bolone & Dave McVeigh with Matt Pacer
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The story behind the flagship of the Mackinac Island Novel series -- The Dockporter -- has as many twists and turns as the tale itself. Originally conceived as a feature film to shoot on location on Mackinac Island, the film was set to roll with writer/director Dave McVeigh and his partner/brother Scott co-directing. As everyone knows, feature films take a lot of time and money and unfortunately, the real world got in the way. The production was put on hold. But years later, the idea still burned bright.
In 2020, living in the Philippines and existing on a steady diet of mangoes, podcasts and audiobooks, Dave began to reimagine the story as an audio experience, complete with the unique sounds of the island and a distinctive score. Of course, that would first mean “novelizing” the film script. He enlisted friend and writer Jim Bolone as co-author and the two transformed the film script into a novel and audio experience. The Dockporter lives, proof that stories are what matter, regardless of the format or how long it takes to tell them.
The Dockporter Facebook page is growing fast. It's the best place to go to stay up to date on the latest news and learn all the greatest stories about the real dockporters of Mackinac Island.
Click below to join the fun!
WHAT IS A
DOCKPORTER?
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The Chicago Tribune said it best in a profile piece in 1991: (full disclosure: Dave, The Dockporter co-author, actually wrote this article, so take it with a huge grain of salt)
"Any tourist who has set foot on the worn planks of one of Mackinac Island`s three ferry boat docks has witnessed a dockporter in action. Dockporters greet visitors and transport the mountain of luggage from the docks to the nine major hotels. But what separates the island porters from ordinary bellmen is their unique modus operandi: they ''ride'' luggage in their bike baskets. Remember, there are no cars on Mackinac Island. Here, athletic grace and foolhardy courage come together in a unique summer job."
This gig has existed on the island for 160 years. The bonds formed while moving luggage in and out of a busy tourist island daily are as strong as high-quality bungee cords. They stretch but never snap. Historically, this crew works hard and plays harder. They also build friendships and memories that last a lifetime. This is the spirit behind our story. If you want to know more, check out these photos, which have been unashamedly swiped without credit or permission from the Mackinac Island Dockporters Association. They say it all.
