Book excerpt: Opportunity knocks on the humblest of doors. But it knocks only once. When an overheard conversation leads to a hunt for a long-forgotten pirate’s treasure in the sunny tropics, Herbert can’t believe his luck. With shipmates including the charming if somewhat feline-featured Katie, a suave and dapper captain, and a hyper-competent crew, such an opportunity seems too good to be true. And we all know how that usually turns out. He soon discovers that said adventure vacation of a lifetime comes with minor downsides, such as being hunted by giant sea monsters. Including an alluring—if somewhat bloodthirsty—mermaid. Additionally, the term ‘lifetime’ refers to a significantly shorter time-frame than he envisioned. Set sail on the high seas of Arvia! (Must supply own cutlass.) A stand-alone novella for adult or young adult readers.