I've spent the past six years researching and writing a nonfiction book I've tentatively titled Journey of the Jewels. It revolves around the Hesse family jewels that were stolen by three U.S. Army officers from a German castle as the dust of World War II was beginning to settle - and the apparent reappearance of some of those gems in the wreckage of a private airplane crash in Montana 15 years later. The rough draft is complete. I am seeking agency representation. My backstory: I found my professional niche in life 38 years ago when I was "hey-you'd" into writing stories about my Army unit for our base newspaper. That began a career in newspapers as a reporter, photographer, team editor, and mentor. U.S. military operations and culture were my primary focus; a highlight was three years at the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill covering current events, the formulation of military policy and Pentagon spending for the Military Times papers. Along the way, I covered cops and courts, science and environmental issues, crime and punishment, social matters and health issues, particularly those involving veterans. I've written book reviews and articles for Military History magazine and continue to do so. I'm an advocate for a strong and enforceable Freedom of Information Act; I (and my lawyers!) have won two lawsuits that forced federal agencies to release records they were withholding or slow-walking. In October 2015, I voluntarily retired from Gannett's News Journal, taking a buyout along with nearly 500 other employees across the chain. I began work on the book, my second, the following spring. On Muckrack: muckrack.com/billmcmichael On Twitter: @billmcmichael