Before he was The Great Gatsby …there was Gatsby's Rival : A culture clash ignites a rivalry in the Roaring Twenties between Jay Gatsby and fisherman-turned-rum-runner Joseph (“Foggy Joe”) Bucolo as the two men vie to win control over both the illicit liquor trade on Rhode Island’s waters and for Joe, the love of a spirited Swamp Yankee’s daughter. As Gatsby plots to hijack Bucolo’s rum-running enterprise, he underestimates Bucolo’s mettle and the loyalty of his gang. Fierce in battle and bed, the Swamp Yankees’ primal lifestyle is tempered by an old-fashioned, openly expressed love for camaraderie and belonging. Comically spiced with a bawdy, superstitious, and wanton lust for life, the complex relationships of these life-long friends lure Gatsby and Foggy Joe into treacherous territory, where each is visited with a baptism of their souls. "Let yourself be swept away by Gatsby's Rival— rough and majestic like the sea itself and as rousing and familiar as an old sea shanty come to life. Richard Guimond will have you hoping the story never ends, as the mastery of his storytelling casts you alongside characters so richly drawn that they win your reverence, your loyalty, or your utter disdain. As humorous as it is captivating, this story of quite another Gatsby and his rival, fisherman-turned-rumrunner Foggy Joe Bucolo, along with his Swamp Yankee gang, will win your heart and quicken your pulse, transporting you to the time and space they inhabit, as their lives move in cadence with their illicit livelihood—roaring with the Twenties and the changing tide. Crystal Sershen, Editor "Guimond, inspired by F. Scott Fitzgerald's seminal text, chronicles the clash between the infamous Jay Gatsby and a working-class rum-runner "Foggy Joe" Bucolo during the early days of Prohibition "(Gatsby's Rival) delivers something fundamentally fresh surrounding one of the most celebrated pieces of American literature. This isn't the Gatsby story viewers might expect. The Black List "A gritty, Prohibition-era tale about Jay Gatsby's ill-gotten fortune, Richard Guimond's Gatsby's Rival explores the bootlegging exploits of Jay Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald's enigmatic nouveau rich millionaire. Set amongst marine storms and Prohibition-era haunts, this novel is a captivating tale of bravery, greed, and pursuing the American dream." Independent Book Review Praise for Guimond's Prior Work "Rich in period atmosphere and authentic as hell. Richard writes with clarity and muscle, spins a great yarn." Scott Frank, Award Winning Writer and Director Rare Gem of a Novel Books like Gatsby's Rival are rare. Guimond himself is no stranger to the high seas and his sense of the ocean's power and majesty comes across beautifully. Danger often lurks and every adventure on the seas threatens lives. In a refreshing twist for this era, young Tiverton women stand up to their men, be they potential lovers, fathers or business partners. And to have a fresh look at one of American literature's iconic characters is a treat. For some of the lingering questions left by Fitzgerald's original portrayal of Gatsby — The Great Gatsby says almost nothing about the man physically and details about Gatsby's bootlegging are left extremely vague — Guimond fills in the spaces in a plausible and satisfying way. Seeing the wealthy Gatsby up against a scrappy man like "Foggy Joe" Bucolo — for whom money and love do not define him and the lack of which diminishes none of his allure or power — gives food for thought. Money cannot buy everything, and in Gatsby's Rival it appears to be a lesson the besotted Gatsby has yet to learn. Anne Eliot Feldman, Booktrib A former deep-sea fisherman and passionate writer, Richard Guimond has won many awards for his works of fiction. Richard started his fishing and writing careers at the age of thirteen, beginning with a small skiff, which eventually grew into a fleet of one-hundred-foot vessels engaged in trapping offshore lobsters on the virgin Continental Shelf. On the high seas, Richard did battle with competing fleets, stormy weather, cranky crews, and winter nor'easters that would crack your hide. Some of his novels continue to capture those incredible adventures.