OUT & ABOUT : Page Turner : Adventure in Writing : Novelist with military bent finds new publisher, begins third book.

When Ventura author Jim R. Lane sold his first novel to Avon Books in 1983, he seemed to be on his way. “Static” won the West Coast Review of Books’ Silver Award in the action-adventure category, and his second novel, “Duty,” was optioned by Avon.

But life is rarely smooth for a fiction writer, and you can never be sure of a happy ending. “After messing around and asking for a new ending, they dropped it,” Lane said.

He stuck the manuscript in a closet and ignored a friend’s nagging to revive it. Lane decided that fiction writing was a foolish way to try to make money, and he didn’t want to be considered a fool.

So he continued to earn a living from his nonfiction, working on technical manuals for the government and newsletters for corporations. He also published a book about condominiums. Fortunately, his novel-writing career didn’t end there. A friend put Lane in touch with a small publishing company willing to take on “Duty,” and it hit the bookstores and online booksellers.

The novel involves the struggle of a Navy legal officer required to prosecute a veteran petty officer for homosexual conduct even though he comes to believe the charges are false.

It got strong reviews by Kirkus Reviews and Publishers Weekly, which called it a provocative morality play and a scathing indictment of the military justice system. “I don’t even need to hide them--they’re OK,” Lane said of the reviews.

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Now the writer is working on a third novel. “Blindside” is about a retired naval officer called back to face a court martial for adultery that occurred four years earlier.

Lane, a 20-year Navy veteran and former legal officer, said he often draws on his military background to sprinkle authentic details throughout his novels. He found his new publisher through Simi Valley writer Wendy Dager. Dager has a talent for marketing, and Lane offered her a monthly stipend to help market his work exclusively.

When he finally picked up the “Duty” manuscript again, he had to brush away more than cobwebs. It had been written on a typewriter without disk capabilities, so he scanned it into computer format and cleaned it up for submission.

Meanwhile, Dager discovered Bridge Works, a small publisher in Bridgehampton, N.Y., operated by Warren and Barbara Phillips. The response was swift: If he was willing to update the book, they would buy it. With some revisions, it was finally accepted.

Bridge Works looks for books it likes and does whatever is necessary to shape them up, Lane said. The small press turns out five titles a year, and unlike large publishers, doesn’t insist on a perfect manuscript, he said.

The Phillipses are veterans of publishing. Warren Phillips is a former managing editor of the Wall Street Journal and a former top executive at Dow Jones; Barbara Phillips was an editor and a literature teacher.

Since 25% of Bridge Works’ novels have been optioned for film, there may even be a Hollywood ending to this story.

Lane isn’t holding his breath--he’s too busy writing.

Lane can be reached at jimrlane@west.net.

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HAPPENINGS

* Today, 10 a.m. “Connections” host Fran Halpern, heard over KCLU (88.9 FM) in Ventura County, will discuss the electronic publishing revolution, in “Taking Back the Writer’s Legacy.” Guests will be Thousand Oaks author Robin Westmiller, who sold her first novel to Book-On-Disc, and Santa Barbara publisher Len Lamensdorf.

* Monday, 11 a.m. Explore Art. Learn about Florentine relief art a la the great Italian sculptor Lorenzo Ghiberti. Kids’ stuff at Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Monday, 7 p.m. Book group talks about “Conversations With God” by Neale Donald Walsch. Facilitated by members Jim Newell and Jim Michael. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Wednesday, 9:30 a.m. Reading of the new “Nickelodeon Nick Jr.” book about favorite puppy “Kipper,” by Mick Inkpen. At Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Wednesday, 7 p.m. Writing group offers feedback about poetry, short stories, novels and other works in progress. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Wednesday, 7 p.m. New location for monthly meeting of the east county branch of Small Publishers, Artists and Writers Network. Special guest speaker is poet J.P. Gorham. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Friday, 7 p.m. Back-to-school readings of “Franklin Goes to School” by Paulette Bouregeois and “Off to School, Baby Duck,” by Amy Hest. Ventura Barnes & Noble, 4360 E. Main St., 339-9170.

* Saturday, 10 a.m. Rise ‘n’ Shine story time. Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

* Saturday, 10:30 a.m. First Book story time featuring “Tacky the Penguin” by Helen Lester. Thousand Oaks Barnes & Noble, 160 S. Westlake Blvd., 446-2820.

* Saturday, 7 p.m. Pajamamania revisits the 20th century. Each story time will highlight the classics of a decade, beginning with 1900 and “The Tales of Peter Rabbit.” Borders, 125 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, 497-8159.

Tip of the Week: Parenting magazine and Borders Books & Music will sponsor a short story contest for students in grades two through five based on the popular children’s series “A to Z Mysteries” by Ron Roy. The grand prize winner will be selected by Roy as the basis for a book in his mystery series. Contest rules and registration forms are available at any Borders. Submission deadline is 9 p.m. Nov. 1. 497-8159.

Information about book-signings, writers groups or publishing events can be e-mailed to anns4@aol.com or faxed to 647-5649.