In June 2011, Clive was again faced with the task of finding another co-writer. Shortly after The Kingdom, the third novel in the Fargo series, was published, Grant Blackwood resigned to concentrate on a new series of his own. As Barbara Peters had done earlier with Justin Scott, she suggested Clive read the work of Thomas Perry.

A native of Tonawanda, New York, Perry earned a B.A. from Cornell University and a Ph.D. in English Literature from the University of Rochester. He is the author of seventeen novels, including The Butcher’s Boy, awarded an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel, and Vanishing Act, selected as a “100 Favorite Mysteries of the Century” by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. Perry and his wife, Jo, have also worked extensively in television both as writers and producers, including stints with Simon and Simon and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Clive, impressed with Perry’s writing, offered him the job of co-writing the Fargo series. “After I talked to Clive,” he says, “I read the existing Fargo books, not only to find out what was wanted, but if I thought I could do it - or more accurately, learn to do it. When I asked around about Clive, I was amazed by the number of positive reviews. People just love him, and I can see why. Once the business preliminaries were over, I spent two days at his home in Arizona. He is not only wonderful company, I’ve already started to learn things from him.”

On July 15, 2011, Clive’s family rented a beach house outside of Puerto Vallarta and celebrated his 80th birthday. On hand for the festivities: Janet, her daughter Whitney, and husband Dale; Dirk and Kerry and their girls Lauren and Bryce; Teri and her children Jason and Amie; Amie’s husband Tim, his children Haley and Katie; and Dayna and her boyfriend Brian.

“We managed to get Clive in the ocean to go boogie boarding a time or two,” Dirk says. “He also rode a series of zip-lines through the jungle. It was a hoot for everyone and a bit of a challenge for an eighty-year-old guy, but Clive, as always, was game. We cracked open a fifty-year-old bottle of Bordeaux for his birthday dinner, and afterward, my Dad and I spent a lot of time sitting on the patio overlooking the ocean. We drank margaritas, smoked cigars and talked about cars, shipwrecks, and the next big adventure.”

Barbara Peters believes Clive will never retire. “He’s in good health, and there’s nothing else he’d rather do. What would he do if he didn’t write? For all his kindness, Clive is not really a social animal. The books allow him to touch people’s lives and do other things, like the cars and shipwrecks, but I think Clive’s happiest in a world of his own making.”

Having represented Clive through both the lean years and his remarkable success, Peter Lampack knows his client as well as anybody. “Clive has never been more alive,” Lampack says. “If there are no problems with his health, I see no reason why Clive would want to retire. He has a talented group of writers who are helping to carry the load. This provides Clive and Janet with time to travel. Two years ago he spent a month in Europe. Last year he was in Egypt. He spent a week in Afghanistan in 2011, and was only back for a few weeks, before heading off to India. I’m not sure I could do that.”

Clive’s trip to Afghanistan was sponsored by the USO. Forsaking the familiar troupe of musicians, comedians, and leggy starlets, “Operation Thriller” sent five authors to the Persian Gulf in November 2011, to meet the troops, discuss their books, and sign autographs. In addition to Clive, Sandra Brown, Kathy Reichs, Mark Bowden, and Andrew Peterson were along for the week-long tour. The flight to the war zone in a C-130 Hercules brought back memories of Clive’s experiences during the Korean War. “We were crammed into jump seats,” he says, “and had to wear ear plugs because the engines were so loud. During landings and takeoffs, the lights were turned out so we wouldn’t attract fire from the ground.”

In addition to sharing a b-hut - basically a large plywood box divided into cubicles - with nine soldiers, the five authors were required to wear helmets and body armor. “Our days started at dawn and often ended at midnight,” Andrew Peterson recalled. “Most of our time was spent interacting with the troops. Cussler was obviously the most popular and people were coming up right and left with Clive Cussler books.”

“During the entire experience,” Clive says, “It was obvious we were in a war zone, but it was wonderful to meet and talk to the servicemen and women.” In one memorable photograph, a camouflage-clad young lady plants a kiss on Clive’s cheek after receiving an autograph.

Seated in his studio, his rangy legs stretched out on his desk, Clive is surrounded by the books, models, and memorabilia accumulated during his forty-year career as a bestselling author, adventurer, and teacher. Asked if he has any regrets, Clive laughs. “It would be ludicrous of me to give you a long list of things I never got to do. I’ve had my low points - Barbara’s death was a terrible blow - but, I was lucky to meet Janet. Some mornings I still wake up and wonder if all of this is true.”

He pauses, “Well, if I really think about it, there are a couple. I’ve always said, if I found the Hunley and the Bonhomme Richard, I would die a happy man. We found the Hunley, but the Richard is still out there. I’m not willing to throw in the towel just yet. Dirk is going to continue the search, and you never know.”

Another pause, “Bob Esbenson and I were at a Kruse auction in 1981 when they rolled out a Tucker. I didn’t bid, and the car ended up going for somewhere around $35,000. Bob was after me to bid, and I remember, like it was yesterday, telling him, ‘Not to worry, another one will come along.’ At the 2012 Barrett-Jackson Auction at Monterey, a Tucker sold for $2.9 million. That’s a regret!”